


525,600 Minutes

by MurderRose



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: AU - Non Idol, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, M/M, PR Person Jeonghan, Rose is an ouroboros, Slice of Life, Sound Engineer Seungcheol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:01:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 40,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25774027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MurderRose/pseuds/MurderRose
Summary: A relationship isn't made up of big gestures.An insight into Jeonghan and Seungcheol's first two years of cohabitation through the tiny things. (And the not so tiny)
Relationships: Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Yoon Jeonghan
Comments: 36
Kudos: 196





	1. Canticle

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my magnum opus.
> 
> Special thanks to [N](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vampiricalthorns/pseuds/Vampiricalthorns) and M for their invaluable beta work. And to the twt svt fanfic community who gave me the relevant encouragement when needed, you know who you are, thanks so much.
> 
> This fic has musical accompaniment so you can choose the [Fic Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4OFIJ9kWYs6qS96eecgIH2?si=TPyDizRmTxWGx2cnfWVBIw) or the individual chapter playlists to listen to, the choice is yours. 
> 
> Enjoy and let me know what you think!  
> Rose x

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waking Up Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Birthday Dear Leader!!
> 
> [Chapter Playlist!](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6vepO5PFdRK3VcnHr9G3fg?si=kdiEraz6T_eOF3_GinDSUg)

Sunlight streamed through the gap in the curtains; falling on the double bed in the centre of the room and gently rousing the sleeping couple, before dripping over the edges onto the soft creamy sheepskin rug and oozing onto the varnished wood floor.

Seungcheol was warm, warmer than usual. Nice warmth, not too warm. He stretched a little, enjoying the feel of the sunlight on his face. He turned over and snuggled down into a warm pillow. Cosy.

He drifted back off again, no work today.

Jeonghan’s eyes fluttered open and then closed again. Too bright. He nosed closer into the blankets, not yet. Too cosy, too warm, too sleepy to wake up yet.

Something wandered down his back and Jeonghan wriggled away from it, pressing further into his blankets. His surprisingly firm blankets. Refusing to wake up, not just yet.

His blankets moved a bit. There was a soft laugh. Jeonghan opened his eyes reluctantly.

Oh.

His blankets were Seungcheol. Seungcheol. His Seungcheol whom he now lived with. Jeonghan beamed up at him even as his eyes closed again. This morning was shaping up well.

“Morning Hannie.” Seungcheol kissed his forehead and wrapped an arm around his waist as Jeonghan snuggled closer, “Sleep well?”

“Mmmhm,” Jeonghan nodded into Seungcheol’s chest, “You?”

“Really well, better when I realised it was a Saturday.” Seungcheol kissed his head this time and Jeonghan reached blindly for his hand, interlacing their fingers on top of Seungcheol’s hip.

“I almost forgot we’d moved in together, such a nice surprise, our first proper lazy day together.” Jeonghan mumbled into Seungcheol’s pyjama top, happy but still sleepy.

“Should I be offended?”

Jeonghan patted Seungcheol’s hip, “good surprise.” 

Seungcheol laughed and kissed his ear this time, “We said we’d do shopping and cleaning on Saturday mornings, do you remember that?” His beard scruff scratched against Jeonghan’s skin and he twitched away.

“Tickles!”

Seungcheol hummed and instead lazily kissed behind his ear.

“Yeah, but we can laze for a while more before we have to get up, right?” Jeonghan finally turned his head and kissed the underside of Seungcheol’s jaw.

“Yeah, I was thinking coffee in bed for a bit and then maybe get up properly in an hour or so?” Seungcheol kissed Jeonghan's hand before rolling out of the bed, “I need the loo anyway."

Jeonghan whined and twisted back into the duvet, it really was too early, he was too cosy. He rolled into Seungcheol’s spot and basked in the sun, drifting, until Seungcheol came padding back into the room with a small tray.

“Hey sleepyhead, I brought tea,” Seungcheol said, placing the tray down on the side table. Jeonghan rolled back over into his own spot with minimal whining, slowly sitting up and yawning.

Seungcheol set the cup into Jeonghan’s grabby hands and Jeonghan took a big sip, eyes still closed before opening them and turning to Seungcheol with a soft gaze, “love you.”

“You too, love.” Seungcheol bumped their shoulders together and sipped his own coffee, humming as the sweet nectar slipped down his throat. Perfection.

They drank their beverages in silence, listening to the hum of the world, birds chattering loudly outside their window, and somebody mowing their grass in the distance. There was no rush. No pressing concerns. No urgent work to be done. Nothing to do but sit, sip, and bask in the presence of their partner.

Jeonghan eventually handed Seungcheol back his cup with a murmur of thanks and leaned into him sleepily. Seungcheol wrapped his arm around his boyfriend’s shoulders and finished his own drink, before turning his head to catch Jeonghan’s lips in a good morning kiss.

Seungcheol tasted of coffee and toothpaste, and Jeonghan closed his eyes, kissing back softly. He pulled back, the angle was weird, and twisted, leaning back in. He put a hand on Seungcheol’s shoulder to steady himself and pressed a contented smile against Seungcheol’s own. 

Saturday mornings were Jeonghan’s favourite.

After an indeterminable amount of time later, Seungcheol cuddled close, breaking the kissing fest, neither of them quite in the mood to take it any further, and his neck hurt. Jeonghan stroked his hair and hummed a little, something from the radio or maybe one of his artists, Seungcheol wasn’t sure.

“I’m going to make some more tea, do you want anything?” Jeonghan said, stretching and Seungcheol just watched him, leaning back against the headboard.

“Seungcheol-ah?”

Seungcheol focused, blushing, “Oh, no, I’m ok. I’m gonna have a shower I think. Will you write a list while you’re in the kitchen?”

“Sure, you’re going shopping today, right?” Jeonghan asked, slipping on his slippers and tying his robe. Seungcheol nodded.

“Yeah, I wanted to drop into Eomma on the way back and maybe swing by a garden centre? We have that hanging basket over the front door, maybe they can fill it for us or something. I’ll check it out.”

“Sounds good, give her a kiss from me. Do you want breakfast?” Jeonghan hovered at the door and when Seungcheol nodded he smiled and headed down to the kitchen.

****  
  


After Jeonghan had set the kettle to boil, he filled their tiny indoor watering can and went over to the living room windowsill. They had only moved into the house last Sunday, and they’d had a few friends over that afternoon to help them unpack and to toast the move with a glass of champagne. One of the housewarming gifts they’d received had been a bright pink Busy Lizzie, with firm instructions to “Never let it dry out. It’s pretty hard to kill otherwise”. It had just started flowering, and Jeonghan admired it, and had a nose out the window, before giving it some water. It did make the room happier.

On the dining table was a vase full of cream coloured tulips. Seungcheol had handed them to Jeonghan after they’d closed the door behind the last of the boxes. He always bought him tulips, changing up the colour or the number depending on what he wanted to convey. Cream apparently meant commitment. It was cute. Jeonghan generally just picked flowers that looked pretty or that smelt nice when he bought them for Seungcheol, but every time he received tulips from Seungcheol he knew they’d been picked to say something and so maybe he pressed one of them each time, but that would be telling.

The kettle clicked off and Jeonghan went back into the kitchen, pouring water into a teapot with a little halo lid that Seungcheol had picked up on a business trip a few years back. It went well with the creamy mug with a gold angel wing handle that Jeonghan had had since he’d started college. Milk in a tiny angel jug... There was a clear theme here, wasn’t there.

Jeonghan flicked the radio on, Music Plaza with Jung Eunji. The combination of bright bubbly pop and the early May sunlight streaming in the open curtains making him smile and sway around the kitchen. He had picked up some croissants the night before, so he put them on the toaster to warm and put two eggs on to boil. It was a Saturday. Nothing fancy needed.

“Thanks love,” Seungcheol said when he came down, hair still wet and dressed in jeans and a band tee. 

“You’re welcome,” Jeonghan said with a smile, “Oh, we have some of that jam that your mother gave us? It’s in the fridge... somewhere.” Jeonghan was filling his croissant with bits of egg and cutting it up into tiny bite sized pieces. Seungcheol wrinkled his nose. Egg and croissants were both delicious, perfectly respectable breakfast foods, but not in each other. He got the jam.

When Seungcheol was ready to go, Jeonghan pulled a piece of paper off their kitchen notepad, “here, I think that’s everything. If I think of anything else I’ll call you.” He folded it and tucked it into Seungcheol’s rain jacket pocket. Whispering a “drive safely” against Seungcheol’s lips and kissing him again.

“Love you too Jeonghannie, but if you keep doing that, I’ll never leave,” Seungcheol kissed him back firmly before stepping out the door with a laugh, “Call me if you think of anything else!”

Shutting the door behind him, Jeonghan smiled and touched his lips. He still couldn’t believe they were finally living together after such a long time. The stars truly had aligned. 

Now he had to clean the house.

He loved Saturdays.


	2. Lemon Pie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morning Routine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7wEeRX7Yu8NGHmwSDwBqUu?si=HXSj2qO_QhuAzsXxPJzBMw)

***beep beep beep beep***

Jeonghan turned off his alarm, rolled out of bed and stretched for a second, before leaning over to kiss Seungcheol on the nose.

_**6.15 am** _

Stepping into the bathroom, he turned on the shower and his Morning Motivation playlist before going to the loo, and then stood under the steaming water and exhaled for a moment.

Awake.

After washing his hair and conditioning the ends, he gave himself a quick scrub with their lemon body scrub, a house warming gift from Jeonghan's sister, and then a gentle wash with its matching shower gel. Rinse rinse rinse and then out he stepped onto the fluffy blue bath mat, towelling his hair dry roughly and stepping over to the sink where he wrapped the towel around his waist and started on his face.

A squirt of foaming cleanser onto his palms then the face and then a nice hot face cloth rinse followed by an spf moisturiser and then wash and moisturise his hands. They got so dry. Especially in the summer.

**_6.35 am_ **

Bathroom routine complete, Jeonghan padded back into their bedroom where Seungcheol was now contemplating opening his eyes, and tossed his phone onto the bed where it blared out Alessia Cara's ‘ _Okay Okay’_. He opened the wardrobe and stood in front of it for a few moments. Seungcheol's eyes were open now.

Jeonghan dropped his towel and pulled on boxers and socks before pulling two outfits from the wardrobe and spinning around. "Blue or navy?"

"Good morning to you too, babe," Seungcheol grumbled before answering with a smile, "Navy, I like the polo neck."

"Thanks," Jeonghan put the blue one back on the rail and got dressed quickly. "I kissed you good morning earlier, not my fault you were still asleep-"

"I'm awake now?" Seungcheol yawned and Jeonghan walked over and sat down beside Seungcheol's hip, dropping his shoes onto the floor and stretching to kiss Seungcheol's nose again, before leaning his forehead against Seungcheol’s.

"Good morning," Jeonghan whispered, eyes closed for a moment and Seungcheol smiled, thumb stroking over his hip bone.

"Now that's more like it."

Jeonghan pulled back with a smile and put his shoes on, tying the laces firmly and then standing up. "Right. See you downstairs for breakfast in a bit?"

Once Seungcheol nodded, Jeonghan left the room, taking his phone with him, humming absently along to Harry Styles's ' _Adore You'._

_**6.59 am** _

By the time Seungcheol arrived in the kitchen, Jeonghan was just sitting down to egg fried rice and some tea. Seungcheol yawned loudly, flicking on the coffee and leaning against the counter. Neither of them were big talkers before at least 9 am, so their breakfast routine, while shared, was mainly silent. 

Jeonghan worked for a PR firm based about a 40 minute drive from their house, so he usually left by 7.30 am. Unlike Seungcheol, who had a 30 minute walk or a 10 minute drive to his own office, and who generally spent Monday morning in the house, checking up on the weekend's concerts and listening to anything that had been sent in during the past week. 

After breakfast, they both headed to the bathroom to brush their teeth and for Jeonghan to add the final touches to his outfit, a touch of mascara and a slick of lip gloss. Today he had a lunch meeting with a client and a coffee meeting with a journalist, so he was looking more dressed up than usual. 

Teeth clean and Jeonghan ready to go, the couple finally had a proper kiss. Seungcheol slipped in front of the door, and tugged Jeonghan close by the hip. Jeonghan went easily, tilting his head up and sinking into the kiss, a hand on Seungcheol's shoulder for balance. 

Seconds later, but they could have been minutes or hours, Jeonghan pulled back, touching his fingers to his lips gently with a soft smile. 

"Have a good day, see you later, love you," Jeonghan said, leaning in again for one last peck.

Seungcheol opened the door, and as Jeonghan stepped out, tugged him back for a tiny kiss. "Drive safely, love you more."

_**7.29 am** _

Then Jeonghan was gone, and Seungcheol clicked the door softly after him. He dragged a hand over his face, yawning loudly and shook himself awake. Right. Time to wake up properly.

After his own shower, and armed with another cup of coffee, Seungcheol stared down his wardrobe. To wear a suit or not to wear a suit, that was the question.

He pondered this while sipping his coffee, the radio in the background going through the news for the third time, nothing particularly interesting, and the weather; no rain, no wind, some sun. Eventually some music came on, rap, something familiar, very familiar…. Seungcheol squinted at the radio, that was... one of Jeonghan's clients? Yes he remembered the song now. _‘If I’_ by Kim Mingyu. Ah it was good, he must mention it to Jeonghan.

Seungcheol finished his coffee and decided on the suit, a salmon one with a cream polo neck and some bangles just to change it up a bit. Normally he wore jeans and shirts, sometimes t-shirts depending on who he would be working with, but he had a meeting in the afternoon with higher-ups. Seungcheol nodded at himself in approval as he sprayed on some cologne before snapping a photo for Jeonghan.

**Seungcheol 8.05**

Miss me yet?

P.s. I love you

Seungcheol smiled as he put his phone into his pocket and went back into the kitchen with his laptop for another cup of coffee. Time to get to work.


	3. Landslide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doing Laundry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1mgjwDcGF2dR18ygRT6IH9?si=E9bTJyrjTCaOsmnvXZ1kug)
> 
> a short one this time!

Several weeks had passed since they’d moved in together. To nobody’s surprise, apart from an initial blip, they had taken to it like a fish to water. They rarely saw each other during the day, but that wasn’t new, and there was nothing better than waking up beside each other in the morning and falling asleep together at night. Even the mundane, washing the dishes, cooking dinner, doing the laundry; were still ‘new’ and ‘exciting’ because they were doing them together, or for each other.

Seungcheol’s eomma laughed when he told her this, “Just you wait baby mine, soon you’ll be sighing because Jeonghannie made a mess of your clothes or he’ll be upset because you reorganised the spices. It’s the honeymoon stage, speaking of-”

He’d cut her off there, not ready for that conversation yet. Sure, they’d been dating since halfway through college, but they were still in their twenties, it was too early to get married.

A few days later, kneeling in front of the washing machine in their utility, Seungcheol thought that maybe there’d been something to what she said. They’d quickly decided to mix their laundry. No point in four or five wash cycles a week when they could have two or three after all. However, for some reason or another, it seemed to be Seungcheol who ended up doing the washing, or at least it had been for the past four weeks. He hadn’t minded at first, there was a ritual in it, something calming. Doing what needed to be done and knowing that all your clothes were taken care of and clean. It was satisfying, and he knew that was odd, but sue him. There was nothing better than getting into a freshly laundered bed in clean pyjamas. 

They did their own ironing, so it wasn’t like Seungcheol was saddled with everything, but… It was annoying he decided as he put in the coloureds. He was annoyed. 

When they sat down to dinner the next night, they’d both worked late the night before, Jeonghan got two forkfuls into his meal before he stopped, putting his fork down and wiping his mouth with a napkin. “What’s wrong, honey?”

Seungcheol looked up from his own food, Jeonghan had made salmon linguine, surprised, “Nothing?”

“Are you sure? Is it work? You can tell me anything, Cheol-ah,” Jeonghan said before picking back up his fork.

“It’s nothing.” 

It wasn’t. But... but they had promised to say whatever bothered them when it happened instead of letting it build up… He had promised. Seungcheol put his fork down. “It’s really nothing, but, I was just wondering, when I was doing the laundry…” He trailed off and Jeonghan nodded at him encouragingly. “Forget it.”

“Honey-”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Only if you’re sure. Even if it’s tiny you can tell me,” Jeonghan pushed one last time and Seungcheol shook his head, eating quickly. “Ok, ok!” Jeonghan dropped it.

Jeonghan popped into the living room at around 9, Seungcheol was playing a video game, to ask if he wanted anything ironed. “I have everything set up, and I’m watching a series, it’s no bother.”

Seungcheol paused his game and turned fully to Jeonghan. “But we said we’d iron our own things?”

Jeonghan’s lips quirked a little, “Yeah, but we also said we’d rotate the laundry equally and you’ve been doing it all month.”

“I don’t mind! I like it!” Seungcheol spoke before he even thought about it and Jeonghan shook his head.

“Seungcheol-ah,” Jeonghan sighed a little, “Don’t be a martyr. If you like doing the laundry, that’s fine, but then I’m doing the ironing. It’s not balanced otherwise. What do you think?” 

“How do you always know what’s eating me?” Seungcheol said instead of an answer and Jeonghan laughed.

“I think by now I know you well enough to notice when somethings bothering you! Now. Do you have anything for ironing?”

“I do, if you’re sure? There’s a pile in my top drawer.”

“Would I ever offer to do something I wasn’t willing to do? Stop worrying, and go back to your game. Love you!” And then Jeonghan was gone, thudding up the stairs. Seungcheol turned dutifully back to the screen, a small smile playing on his lips. Some things never changed.


	4. 12:45

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Work Stuff

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7pRPjC2uoz2EwP34S0CkDh?si=0ZjJCRnvTTC5qGuuFZAeNQ)

All day Jeonghan had been wishing for it to end, to be home on the couch under blankets with Seungcheol. His day had been… Hell. One of his artists, Kim Mingyu, had broken up with his girlfriend of two years. Which… fine. You have to live your life, but he had had a very public argument with her in a restaurant and there were quite a lot of videos being circulated online, lots of speculation about why they split, about what was said and of course, Jeonghan had written and released a statement asking people to respect the rapper’s privacy, but in a truly awful move, his ex had made an off the cuff remark about their relationship, specifically about the bedroom aspect. 

Apparently he had exotic tastes. Which was hell for Jeonghan. He’d spent all day doing damage control, and getting stories spun in their favour, and as much as he hated doing it, she shouldn’t have said it, so they were going after her a little too. He’d just come off a phone call with Kim Mingyu himself in which he told him in no uncertain terms to keep his mouth shut, say nothing, see nobody, and that if he did, Jeonghan would rain unholy hell on him. Mingyu liked Jeonghan and Jeonghan liked him, normally, and he would do as he was told. Jeonghan was more worried about any of his exes interested in getting “revenge” or earning some cash. 

He’d send a tonne of emails and added some threats and with the weight of his artist’s company behind him it was... sorted, or at least in stasis for now. But he hadn’t had a break all day and he just wanted his boyfriend.

“You should go home too, Gahyeon-noona,” he called over to his coworker as he shut down his laptop. She was managing a different crisis. One of her artists had been stalked and some explicit pictures of her had been taken and leaked. Nobody was happy.

“I have two more calls and then I will!”

Jeonghan packed away his keep cup, water bottle and files into his briefcase, tossed his trench over his arm and headed to the lift. He stepped in with a sigh and leaned against the wall for a moment before the lights flashed to remind him to pick a floor. He shook himself, he didn’t normally take the lifts. 

Unlocking his car and putting everything in the boot, he sunk into the driver’s seat and closed his eyes for a moment. He’d be home in an hour. He could sleep then. Right. He opened his eyes, let’s get going. As he buckled in his seat belt he saw a CD on the passenger seat. Oh, Seungcheol had handed it to him yesterday morning, he had been in such a rush he hadn’t even looked at it.

He slid it into the cd player, pressed play and pulled out of his parking spot, headlights on. The first song he didn’t recognise but it was sweet, “ _ your eyes full of starlight, I promise you, I’ll always be on your side _ ,” Seungcheol was the best.

The mix tape was full of soft tracks, full of love, like a warm hug and by the time it finished, Jeonghan was just pulling onto their street.

  
  


“Honey, I’m home,” Jeonghan called as he dropped his keys into the bowl with a clink, hung his coat up and put the briefcase on the floor. “Where are you?”

“In here!” Seungcheol called back from the living room and Jeonghan toed off his shoes and walked down the hall, rubbing at his neck.

Seungcheol was on the phone, maybe a game thing, Jeonghan didn’t care. He went straight for his lap and collapsed into it. He pulled his knees up and pressed his head against Seungcheol’s neck with a sigh.

“Hey love,” Seungcheol was amused, “What’s up?” he wrapped his free arm around him and tilted the phone away a bit.

"Shitty day," Jeonghan muttered, sinking into Seungcheol a little and allowing him to wrap an arm around him. "Listened to your CD, it's lovely."

“Want to talk about it?”

“Mm, not yet, you can do whatever you were doing, I just need to steal your energy.” 

“Alright then,” Seungcheol laughed a little and dropped a kiss on Jeonghan’s head before turning back to the phone as his brother, Vernon, greeted Jeonghan with a hello.

It was a testament to Jeonghan’s state of mind that he didn’t even turn his face as he murmured a hello back before closing his eyes, trying to relax and letting their conversation wash over him.

  
  


“Jeonghannie? Have you eaten?” Seungcheol whispered a little later, and Jeonghan blinked his eyes open reluctantly. “You fell asleep for a little bit there. Are you hungry?”

Jeonghan lifted his head off Seungcheol’s shoulder and pulled back a bit, hair all squished and eyes still sleepy, “I could eat? Did you finish your call?”

“We have leftovers in the freezer? Yeah, Vernonnie and Seungkwan-ah say hi,” Seungcheol pushed Jeonghan off his lap onto the couch with a kiss and stood up. “I’ll see about some food, why don’t you stick on a film?”

  
  


After half an hour of The Hitman’s Bodyguard and a bowl of tasty curry from the previous week, Jeonghan tipped sideways into Seungcheol’s lap with a sigh. “Kim Mingyu.”

Seungcheol paused the movie and looked down at him, “I heard, are you ok?” Jeonghan turned his head with a huff and Seungcheol tangled his fingers into his hair, scratching soothingly.

“Tired. He’s a good guy, and I think she is too, it just ended badly? They wanted different things, she couldn’t take the heat and I’m sure she just wasn’t thinking, but it’s going to chase him for the rest of his career.” Jeonghan said with a frown. It was never nice to think about what could happen if he didn’t do his job properly. Of course, the things would probably be the artists’ faults but it was his job to make sure that they didn’t affect them.

“I mean, you’ve probably thought about it, but at least his image isn’t all soft and pure. He’s a rapper, and he’s done enough photo shoots with leather and chains that at least a part of his fan base have contemplated the thought. And if I remember correctly, isn’t he friends with -”

“Yeah. That’s at least part of the issue. He’s not going to deny it, I think he should work with a few public members of that scene to try and make it less of a taboo topic, seeing as it’s going to be talked about anyway? Since he’ll always have this hanging over his head, we may as well try to make it a good thing. It’s going to be hard to get someone to cover it though,” Jeonghan closed his eyes, “I’ll probably have to do some work over the weekend, I’m sorry-”

“I get it,” Seungcheol cut in soothingly and he did. Towards the end of any song he worked on the artists wanted to work until it was finished and that generally meant late nights and long weekends. “Don’t worry, you’ll sort it and I’m sure there are some journalists or presenters who would happily write the article, maybe someone from that scene? It would be a really good way to educate people. And since everyone’s gonna read about it anyway, it may as well be helpful?” He’d moved down to the base of Jeonghan’s neck, drawing circles there with varying degrees of pressure until Jeonghan unwound fully, relaxing completely with a long exhale.

“I hope so.”

“Do you want to go to bed?”

“We didn’t finish the film?”

“I don’t mind, and you’re nearly asleep anyway, come on, we can watch it another time,” Seungcheol nudged Jeonghan up and tugged him up the rest of the way, standing with his arms loosely around him as Jeonghan wobbled a bit. “Come on, you’ll feel better properly lying down.”

Jeonghan went where he was put, stumbling sleepily into the bathroom with a half formed apology about ruining their Friday night. Seungcheol shut him up with a kiss and put Jeonghan’s toothbrush into his hand before heading back to the kitchen to get hot water bottles and water.

Going through his nighttime routine much slower than usual, Jeonghan mused that he really had hit the jackpot with Seungcheol. He said as much when Seungcheol returned, leaning against his back sleepily while Seungcheol brushed his teeth and washed his face. Seungcheol only nodded in response. 

“We hit the jackpot with each other, love, now come on. Lie down before you fall down.”

Jeonghan was out the minute his head hit the pillow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics translated from Standing Egg’s 'Summer Night You and I'.


	5. Walking on Sunshine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Night time routine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6pu2L5yVj8wvzVoz1Ldvt4?si=RgoQisrtSmmO8F6Nn1heFA)

“You should never go to bed angry, _ ” _ was the advice Jeonghan’s grandfather had given him when he was younger, “Not with your parents, not with your sister, not with me, and not with your partner or your children. Talk it out, apologise, come to a mutual disagreement, but don’t go to sleep angry.”

Normally the couple were pretty good at chatting things out, they nearly always talked about their concerns while they got ready for bed, but in the last few days, Seungcheol had been working late and practically going straight to sleep when he came home. Jeonghan got it, he was guilty of it too, but he didn’t understand why Seungcheol was hardly talking to him.

The Kim article had just been published, a journalist by the name of Lee Hongbin had approached him about an interview and had written a truly excellent piece. The article was full of interviews with various people, both idols and non idols, about the scene, about relationships and he had even managed a dig on exposing peoples’ private lives in there too. To say that Jeonghan was walking on the light and fluffy air of a well managed scandal would be an understatement.

He arrived home early, ingredients for dinner in hand and a smile on his face. Seungcheol had said he’d try to be home at around 7 pm so Jeonghan started peeling and chopping vegetables for a lasagne, bopping along to the radio where they were playing Woozi’s top songs from the past year. It was mad to hear how many of the top hits had been written, composed or produced by him. Seungcheol had worked with him before and said that he was so driven he wouldn’t be surprised if he started his own music company before he was 25. Whoever did his PR was amazing, either that or Woozi himself was just really good at keeping things chill. Jeonghan envied the idea.

After popping the lasagne into the oven, putting the salad into the fridge to keep fresh, and opening a bottle of wine to let it breathe; Jeonghan went up to change into more comfortable clothes. It was a Friday, and he was ready to relax.

7 pm came, Jeonghan set the table, turned on a soft dinner playlist and poured the wine. 7 pm went, Jeonghan checked his phone: no texts. He waited until 7.30, still no sign, no word. He texted Seungcheol, no response.

At 8 pm, Jeonghan ate his dinner, looking up at every noise outside but Seungcheol didn’t arrive.

When he finished, he covered Seungcheol’s plate and put it on the counter with his glass of wine, loaded the dishwasher, boxed up the leftovers, switched off the music and turned off the kitchen lights. He checked his phone. Nothing.

Jeonghan brought his wine into the living room and switched on the TV, flicking through the channels until he ended up on some crime drama. He half watched it, but by 9 pm he was really worried and rang Seungcheol.

“Seungcheol-ah? Please call me back, you said you’d be home by 7 and it’s 9.” Voicemail.

Jeonghan switched off the TV, he wasn’t taking anything in. He might as well go to bed, listen to a podcast, maybe read a bit.

Jeonghan had a 4 step nightly skin care routine, and he was pretty religious about it. Cleanser, Moisturiser, Eye Cream and Serum. On Saturdays he exfoliated and on Sundays he did a face mask. Normally he did everything with a certain aura of ‘beauty’ but tonight, he rushed through it, brushing his teeth quickly and giving his hair a cursory combing.

Finally in his pyjamas, Jeonghan slid under the covers, turned on a podcast, The Hankyoreh Long Reads, an episode on the art of sound in movies. He checked his phone one last time before he closed his eyes and listened, letting himself drift off.

  
  


Seungcheol came into the bedroom at around 2 am, and Jeonghan woke up, sitting up in bed and rubbing at his eyes with both hands, “Cheol? What happened?”

Seungcheol sat down on Jeonghan’s side of the bed, leaning down to kiss him softly. Before pulling back with a “My phone died and the client would not stop making last minute changes. It was finished at 4 pm, but they kept changing every single note and changing it again, and it was the same track at 4 pm as it was when they finally left. Your lasagne was lovely, I’m so sorry,”

Jeonghan nodded, yawning, and leaned forward into Seungcheol’s chest sleepily, “Ok, you should have had a charger, but ok. Go get ready and come cuddle me.”

Hiding a smile in Jeonghan’s hair at how adorable he was when he wasn’t fully awake, Seungcheol kissed his head and tipped him back against the pillows as he stood up, heading for the bathroom.

Unlike Jeonghan, Seungcheol’s longer skincare routine was in the mornings. At night, he just washed his face and swiped on some cream if he remembered. Teeth, loo and pyjamas, clothes in hamper and then he was back in bed, slinging an arm over Jeonghan’s waist, pressing his nose against the back of his neck and worming his toes between Jeonghan’s feet.

“Get someone to text me next time, Cheollie,” Jeonghan yawned as he nosed into the pillow and Seungcheol hummed agreement against his neck, before they both fell asleep quickly, Jeonghan could finally rest easy now that Seungcheol was home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're looking for a podcast similar to JH's here, I enjoy [The Guardian Long Reads](https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/the-audio-long-read) (The Hankyoreh is a South Korean newspaper)


	6. Wait

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shopping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2fqsP29gelyJ6YAdwkugjG?si=eYKZxQGXRbSwuOa3DWKgWQ)

Jeonghan pushed the trolley around the fruit and vegetable section slowly, looking between his list and the produce on offer with a judging eye, and definitely buying more than they needed, but sure look. It was good for you, they could make big portions and freeze things, and Vernon and Seungkwan were coming to visit next weekend: they had to feed them. Never mind that it was a week away, they wouldn’t want to go grocery shopping on their weekend break, they would want to do fun things. Not shopping.

Jeonghan frowned at his list and looked at the meat selection. He didn’t think they had any chicken at home so why wasn’t it on the list? He put some in anyway, scrolling through his phone to send a quick text to Seungcheol to check. Ooo, they had marinated pork strips, they would be nice for Monday’s dinner…

By the time Jeonghan got to the specials aisle, the trolley was full, and he flew through it with barely a glance, ready to be out of there right then, only to end up in a long queue. A long queue stuck behind the chattiest pair of women, who were gossiping loudly about their sons and daughters and who they were dating and who they should be dating and how they were doing in university and what they should do after university and before Jeonghan knew it he was next, and then he was paying.

After he had packed everything into the car, he checked his phone again. Seungcheol had texted asking him to pick up a few bottles of wine and one or two bottles of soju, and could he find some nibbles and crisps for next weekend? Oh and maybe some pastries as well? Bungeoppang if he could manage, for tomorrow morning. And they were low on condoms if he could grab some of them too. And painkillers. 

To the off-licence it was then, and then to the bakery, and then the corner shop, and finally the pharmacy.

Jeonghan hated grocery shopping. No, that wasn’t true. He didn’t hate-hate it, just didn’t love it.

The pressure to get everything that they needed for the week, which meant they had to know what they wanted for the week, and he didn’t like the fact that you didn’t know how much you were spending before you got to the till, so you couldn’t adjust your shopping accordingly, and people could be so judgmental of the contents of your trolley. It wasn’t much of an issue these days, but it was still irritating.

He locked the car and plugged his phone into the sound system, turning on a podcast that Joshua had recommended. Guys Gotta Eat. Two guys got together on a Wednesday evening and had drinks while they talked about their take on the topic of the moment, or of the past, generally a  _ non-traditional _ viewpoint. Apparently they’d done a decent episode on the Kim Mingyu scandal, and Joshua thought that Jeonghan would appreciate their humour. 

Joshua was rarely wrong when it came to judging Jeonghan’s tastes; they’d been best friends for so long Jeonghan couldn’t remember not having Joshua as his friend. Well. Apart from that weird five month period when Joshua went over to the USA to meet family and got it into his head that Jeonghan wouldn’t want to keep in contact. But that was just Joshua being silly and he’d  _ eventually _ realised that he couldn’t get rid of him by just moving to another country.

The episode that Jeonghan had turned on was on Baby Names and Celebrity Stupidity. It was hilarious. By the time Jeonghan arrived at the Off-Licence, he was much more relaxed and thankfully it was empty.

It was a similar situation in the bakery and the small snack shop beside it, but the pharmacy was a different story all together. Bumping into his boyfriend’s ex-boyfriend while holding condoms, lube and painkillers has to be … definitely one of the top 15 most awkward experiences of Jeonghan’s life.

“Jeonghan-ssi! Fancy seeing you here, how are you keeping?” Seungcheol’s ex, Minki, smiled and bowed at him, and Jeonghan smiled and bowed back.

“Hi! It’s a small world isn’t it,” Jeonghan laughed a little, “I’m good, work is busy, but other than that, we’re good. How are you keeping? Are you still working with that idol group?” Jeonghan joined the queue behind him.

“Yes, they’re up for an award tomorrow night, it’s all very exciting. You’re still working for The Diamond PR Group right? The Kim Mingyu thing, that was your company?” Minki asked as he paid and then turned, hovering, to hear Jeonghan’s response. 

Jeonghan smiled, “Yes, it was me actually. First proper scandal, busy as you can imagine. That’s amazing about your group, we’ll be rooting for them!” Jeonghan paid and put everything into his carrier bag. “It was nice to see you Minki-ssi, good luck tomorrow!” 

“Thanks, you too. Say hello to Seungcheol for me, and … enjoy tonight!” he added with a wink to Jeonghan’s bag and Jeonghan flushed beet red, laughing and getting into his car as quickly as he possibly could. He’d been so close to escaping without a comment. So close! 

  
  


The best thing about it being Jeonghan's turn to do the grocery shopping was that it was Seungcheol’s turn to clean the house; and he arrived home to a spotless house: freshly washed floors, hoovered stairs, clean fridge, clean bathrooms, new sheets, everything dusted and all the mirrors clean. It smelt amazing too; they used an apple scented cleaning product for the floors and it smelt so good.

Seungcheol was methodical when it came to cleaning, once he started he had to finish everything properly, so Jeonghan didn’t bother trying to find him, just called a cheery, “Honey I’m home!” before bringing the bags into the kitchen and starting to unpack.

The radio was already on, set to Seungcheol’s favourite Saturday afternoon jazz program, and Jeonghan swayed along as he repacked the fridge and freezer, before finally putting the kettle on and arranging a few pastries on a plate; he’d picked up extra for a snack. By the time the kettle had boiled, Jeonghan had finished putting everything away. So he poured some tea for the two of them and went searching for his boyfriend.

Seungcheol was under a blanket on their bed, staring at the wall blankly and Jeonghan froze. He hadn’t seen him like this in ages. Ever since college, Seungcheol had been dealing with anxiety and depression; he was much better equipped to deal with it now than he had been then; having a stable job, a house, a partner who wasn’t going anywhere and a doctor who understood him and cared about him, these things all helped. But it still overtook him every once in a while. Jeonghan guessed today was just one of those days. He rapped his knuckles softly against the door, waiting for a reaction from the bed. Seungcheol slowly turned his head, a smile blossoming on his face at the sight of Jeonghan.

“Are you alright Cheollie?” Jeonghan stayed at the door, leaning against the doorframe. Seungcheol nodded. “I got extra pastries if you’d like some tea?” Seungcheol nodded again and sat up properly, folding away the blanket. “Come on, you’ll never guess who I met in the pharmacy,” Jeonghan reached out his arm and after a minute or two, Seungcheol padded over and leaned into him, breathing him in and Jeonghan wrapped his arm around him, squeezing tightly. “You can always talk to me Seungcheol-ah, you know that right?” he whispered against his head and Seungcheol nodded against him.

When Seungcheol pulled back, he looked more alive, “Who did you meet?” he asked as they went down the stairs.

“You’ll never guess,” Jeonghan said with a smile and Seungcheol started guessing.

“Seokminnie?”

“Nope.”

“....Kim Mingyu?”

“Nope.”

“Eomma?”

“Nope,” Jeonghan handed him his tea cup and they sat down at the table.

Seungcheol whined, “Give me a clue!” 

“You used to be close.”

“Jonghyun?”

“Closer...”

“Minki?”

“Yep!!” Jeonghan laughed, tearing his pastry apart and Seungcheol stared, eyes wide.

“No, are you serious?”

“Yep, I was holding condoms and lube and he was asking me about Kim Mingyu, Seungcheol, it was one of the most awkward things,” Jeonghan said seriously, staring Seungcheol in the eye, but Seungcheol couldn’t take it and burst into fits of laughter.

“Nooo!!”

“Yes! And he told me to have a good evening as we left the shop! With a wink!”

“He didn’t!” Seungcheol gasped and then they were both laughing. Every time they thought they’d stopped, they’d catch sight of each other and start again, Seungcheol had his hands on his sides and Jeonghan was wiping tears off his face when they finally stopped.

Crisis averted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Off Licence = Liquor Store/Alcohol Shop for the linguistically curious
> 
> The podcast here is based on the [Girls Gotta Eat](https://www.girlsgottaeatpodcast.com/) podcast, a fav of a friend of mine.


	7. Sucker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Exercising

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/44Es02LjXeHOCV4TQtLeep?si=87toO-OqTFuAWSm50ruKdA)

It was like a drug. 

It was hell.

Seungcheol loved running, the rush he got from it brightened up his days.

Jeonghan hated it, the burning in his lungs, the relentless thud thud thud.

They went running on Sunday mornings together. It was good for couples to do activities together, and after a list of failed endeavours as long as Jeonghan’s arm: modern dancing, pottery making, pastry classes, flower arranging, bird watching, this list went on. They’d either both been awful at it and not wanted to do it, or they’d both hated it. Running was the first thing that they’d stuck with for more than a month.

They went running together but initially Seungcheol had had a feeling that it was going to be something that he would be doing alone, but even though Jeonghan insisted that he hated it; he hadn’t stopped, and he wasn’t reluctant to lace up his shoes and leave the house in the morning.

They went running together to get out of their heads, to clear their minds, because it had been recommended to them. It really helped Jeonghan shake off the week and forget about the difficult clients, and it helped Seungcheol get his head to shut up. It was healthy for more than just their bodies, although that certainly was a benefit.

They went running together because Jeonghan felt the need to exercise. He had a fast metabolism and he could pretty much eat whatever he wanted, but you just didn’t feel as healthy as you did when you were regularly exercising. In high school he’d been on a cheerleading team, and it had been really intense, but he’d loved it so it didn’t feel like exercising? But when he started uni, he hadn’t joined another one and the Difference was so clear. He just felt so much groggier? So while he didn’t love running, in fact, he hated it; he did enjoy the benefits and the company. 

They went running together because Seungcheol liked it, he liked the companionable silence and the encouraging smiles that they gave each other, and he liked going on different routes. This morning they had run down to Haneul Park and they were now running along the riverside. They tried to pick different routes each week, to get into nature and not just be running around the block. 

They went running together on Sunday mornings because they said they would, and both of them were too stubborn to step down from the challenge and after a month of it, they both started to like it, however reluctantly, and now they both kind of loved it. Their clean secret.


	8. Talk Show Host

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wearing Each Other's Clothes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Playlist ](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1afzbqh9ReqQzIjGk5eoZk?si=zivwK98VSUKJNAXtf7FB4Q)

Work had wrapped up early so Seungcheol was home by 3 pm. He didn’t feel great. It had been a tough few weeks, this artist was an absolute slave driver, and nothing was ever what he wanted, even when they’d redone it 17 times. He was a perfectionist, but to the worst level. Today, they’d just been editing the first ten seconds of the final song. 

It had taken three hours. 

Seungcheol forced himself to eat something, ending up choosing plain rice, just to have something in his stomach. He’d just make himself sick otherwise, and he was not in the mood to be leaning over a toilet bowl. He also wasn’t in the mood to eat, but he needed to and so he ate, and turned on the radio to just have noise in the background. 

Catching himself staring into space, his mind replaying the top hits of the day, including the 7 times the artist had screamed at him. He winced, he needed to distract himself. Jeonghan would be home in two hours and he could go through his day then. He piled everything into the dishwasher and trudged up the stairs, wandering into their bedroom and checking his phone absently.

**Hannie ❤️ 15:54**

Cheollie, I’ve been invited out for drinks  
Gahyeon, Minji, Yongbae and a choreo duo   
I won’t be home til after 9, is that ok?  
You can come join me if you want?

Seungcheol’s heart sunk. Shit. Well. He’d hoped Jeonghan would be back, but he was 27, he would be fine, right? It didn’t matter. They could talk tomorrow.

**Seungcheol 16:00**

That’s ok babe, take your time

Eat something

**Hannie ❤️ 16:05**

We’re getting food beforehand  
Ok, see you later  
Love you x

**Seungcheol 16:06**

love you too

  
  


He turned on the radio in the bedroom and opened the wardrobe to change into something more comfortable. Everything looked like it required too much effort. He didn’t have the energy for effort. He leaned against the wardrobe and looked at the bed. Jeonghan’s side would still smell like him, right? The temptation to just face plant into his pillow and sleep was so strong, but no. Sungjae-ya always said clean, comfortable, cosy were the three tenants of feeling better. 

Maybe a shower would help?

Snuggled into one of Jeonghan’s hoodies and with roughly dried hair, Seungcheol got into bed and closed his eyes. He just… couldn’t. He pulled the duvet up over his head as a tear slipped out of his eye and rolled down into the pillow. He’d been doing so well, using the breathing techniques and the mind palace model for his anxieties, and talking to Jeonghan whenever he felt shitty, or useless. And writing down three good things every single day. But the artist had been… He didn’t feel like there had been any good things today. Just tiny failures upon tiny failures and now he was in his boyfriend’s jumper and crying in bed.

Maybe sleep would make him feel better?

  
  


*

  
  


“Honey, I’m home!” Jeonghan called, slipping off his shoes the minute he came in the front door and popping them into the hall closet with his coat and bag. He headed into the kitchen looking for Seungcheol. The radio was on full volume, but there was no sign of his boyfriend. Jeonghan put the kettle on, drank a glass of water, turned the radio off and filled their watering can. The couch didn’t look touched, but after he watered their Busy Lizzy; he tidied the blankets, switched off the lights and closed the door behind him. 

Jeonghan brought a tea tray up to their room, flicking off all the lights as he went, and elbowed the door open, stopping to smile at Seungcheol tucked under the covers on his side of the bed. 

After he put the tray down, turned off the bathroom lights and lowered the radio, he sat down beside Seungcheol, and petted his hair. Seungcheol turned slightly, “Han?”

“Yeah, it’s me. Are you okay?” Jeonghan murmured back, heart sinking. Seungcheol looked awful up close.

Tears slipped out of Seungcheol’s eyes and he curled tighter into himself. Jeonghan squished into the bed and Seungcheol attached himself to him immediately, clutching at his shirt and crying harder.

Seungcheol cried himself out after a while, and Jeonghan handed him a tissue, keeping his arms around him tightly.

“Talk to me Cheol-ah.” 

“I just had a bad week, and I just felt crap, and then you weren’t here and I just went to sleep and I don’t know Hannie, today was shocking.” Seungcheol curled into Jeonghan as much as was physically possible. It was then that Jeonghan noticed he was wearing his hoodie. His heart melted a bit and he hugged him tighter.

“It’s ok honey, you’re allowed have bad days, you know that, hm?”

“But they’re so many.” Seungcheol started to cry again and Jeonghan rocked him a little.

“Do you want to set up an appointment with Sungjae-ssi? You have one in a few weeks but I’m sure if we ask he can fit you in sooner. Would that help?”

“Maybe?”

“I can ring him in the morning if you want me to?”

“Would you?” Seungcheol sounded so small and Jeonghan kissed his head.

“Of course I will. Do you want to talk to me now? I’m sorry about earlier-”

“No! You had fun, I don’t want to stop you from having fun, that’ll just make me feel worse-”

“Ok love, ok. Do you want to talk about today?” Jeonghan rubbed his back in rhythmic circles and Seungcheol took a deep breath. He should. He’d only feel worse if he let it stay in his head.

“The artist kept screaming at me. Nothing was right. If it wasn’t her volume, it was the piano track or the bass-ness of it all, and then she didn’t like the speed or the timbre, Jeonghan-ah it was only 10 seconds of the track. She only left because she had a schedule across town. She was happy with it the last time! What did I do?” Seungcheol panted through his explanation, practically whining out the last piece.

Jeonghan carded his other hand through his hair and sighed. “She’s a diva, honey. It’s not your fault. I’m sure you did nothing wrong, she’s probably just really nervous about the album and she’s taking it out on you. It’s not right, and she really shouldn’t be doing it, but if she was happy the last time, it’s most likely just nerves.”

“It’s not fair.”

“No. It really isn’t.”

“And I’m 27, I should be better than this.”

“Oh, honey, no,” Jeonghan squeezed him tighter, “Everybody deals with things differently, and there are very few people who can take being screamed at for a few hours in their own office. It’s perfectly fine to feel like reheated shit after that.”

Seungcheol managed a huff of a laugh, “That’s exactly how I feel.”

  
  


“Now, why don’t we go and get you some water, and some toast, and we can put on some TV for a bit? Vernon-ah is arriving tomorrow. Text him and ask what time he gets in, I’ll try to collect them from the station,” Jeonghan said a little while later and when Seungcheol nodded, he extracted them both from the covers and kissed him again. “It’s going to be ok honey, alright?”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Ok, let’s go,” Jeonghan tugged Seungcheol down the stairs with him, leaving the tea tray for later, “And don’t think I didn’t notice my jumper, how did you even fit in it? Your shoulders are at least twice the size of mine!”

Seungcheol giggled a bit into the back of Jeonghan’s neck, hugging him like a koala, “It felt like a hug.” Oh this man was going to be the death of him.

“You are adorable, you know that?”

“I am the most adorable,” Seungcheol squished his cheeks, smile not quite reaching his eyes yet, but that was okay. “Tell me about the dance duo?”

“Their stage names are Hoshi and The8. Japanese for star, even though Hoshi is Korean, and The 8 is for an infinity sign, he’s Chinese. Soonyoung-ssi and Minghao-ssi for real though. They’ve worked with nearly half of our artists at this stage, and they wanted some advice before they decide whether they want a PR person or just stick with word of mouth. I think they want to do some solo songs and things, but I’m not too sure. They’re really good dancers, do you want to see some of their stuff? They have a YouTube channel and they’re so crisp-” Jeonghan chattered on as Seungcheol drank his water and they waited for the toast. 

Things would be alright.


	9. As

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Double Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ **Chapter Playlist** ](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3IkKDYc748PmGeqWQY4bAX?si=cR9yJyJDS1W-iBrmEvIrJA)

“It’s not weird is it?” Seungcheol asked as he stared in the mirror trying to get his hair to obey him.

Jeonghan popped his head in the door, fastening his belt, “Is what weird?”

“Double dating with my brother?”

“Well, we’re treating them to dinner so it’s not double dating really is it?” Jeonghan said, coming closer and taking the comb off Seungcheol, “You’re overworking it, your hair is fine.”

Seungcheol shrugged, “eh, it kinda is no? Four of us, two couples… Jeonghan-ah do you have … highlighter on?” Seungcheol squinted at Jeonghan’s face and Jeonghan just looked at his hair.

“And what of it? Sure, we’re two couples, but we’re both in long term relationships. Seungkwan has been dating Vernon for how long? They were together when he still went by Hansol right? That has to be five years,” Jeonghan put some gel into Seungcheol’s hair, staring it down.

“5th or 6th year yeah, but like-”

“And we’ve been together longer than that, so it’s not really dating anymore, just life,” Jeonghan pulled back and washed his hands, “don’t touch your hair, it’s fine.”

“Uh, ok, fine.”

“They’re only up for the weekend, and they wanted to be all ‘touristy’ today so make the most of it Cheol-ah,” Jeonghan ushered him out of the bathroom. “Come on, we need to leave soon.”

“Almost as if they’re not from here,” Seungcheol sighed, “We’re picking them up from the station right? I think they said they were getting the metro to the station beside the restaurant?”

“See if they’ve left yet, we can’t miss those reservations, we made them months ago.”

  
  


“Reservation under Yoon Jeonghan,” Jeonghan smiled at the maître d’ and the man scrolled down his tablet before nodding and ushering them through the dining room.

“Right this way sirs.”

They were seated in a lovely booth at a window, high backed chairs and lots of privacy. Vernon and Seungkwan kept gawking around the room, whispering to each other and eventually Vernon put the menu down with a half laugh and a “Good thing you’re paying, hyung!” 

Seungcheol gave Vernon a look, “What does Eomma say?”

“Fake it till you make it.”

“Yeah, keep your eyes to yourself.”

Jeonghan laughed softly to himself, it was always nice to see Seungcheol with his brother; they missed each other fiercely when they were apart but once they were together, Seungcheol couldn’t help himself from nagging.    
  


“Now, pick whatever you want ok? Our treat.” Jeonghan said with a smile, and Seungkwan nodded looking busily at the menu. No matter how long Jeonghan had known Seungkwan, there was always … something between them. He’d figured it was just nerves at first, but he didn’t know. He tried, but Seungkwan just didn’t seem to fully warm to him. What can you do, can’t please everyone.

Seungcheol ended up ordering for everyone after Vernon and Seungkwan complained that everything looked so good they “couldn’t possibly be expected to choose!” He went for a wide selection of meat and a variety of sides, and drinks of course. 

“So how were the museums?” Jeonghan asked once the waitress had disappeared and Seungkwan launched into a description of what they’d seen, who they’d talked to, which exhibitions they’d loved the most.

“...and the part about The Little Mermaid was fascinating, apparently the statue in Copenhagen is a copy, the original is hidden, but the head has been stolen three times!”

“Oh we went to see that exhibition last Sunday,” Seungcheol said with a smile, “We loved it didn’t we?” Jeonghan nodded, “Did you get to the bit about his fear of being buried alive?”

“Oh yeah, that was a bit extra,” Vernon laughed, “I preferred the other museum to be honest, I loved Hockney’s use of colour it was so inspiring, and the way they had little videos of him commenting on some of his paintings? So amazing, it made me want to sit and paint right there.”

“Should we put that one on our list?” Seungcheol asked just as the meat arrived and Vernon nodded quickly.

“Definitely, there’s something for everyone.”

Everyone was clearly starving because there was little conversation while the meat cooked, a comfortable silence only broken up by an occasional 'pass me the-?' or 'oo that looks lovely’.

“Hannie, try this, it’s so good,” Seungcheol said, chopsticks already halfway towards Jeonghan’s face, and he opened his mouth expectantly.

“Ooo, that is good, what’s that?” Jeonghan said, swallowing and leaning over to see which sauce Seungcheol had used. “I’d definitely order that again, tasty. Did you get some of this side? Here-” Jeonghan scooped some up and cupped his hand under it, bringing it up to Seungcheol’s mouth, his own mouth opening in imitation.

“Oooo, that’s delicious, can I have more?” Seungcheol said appreciatively after he swallowed, and Vernon groaned, dropping his face into his hands as Seungkwan wrinkled his nose.

“I don’t know why I thought you two would be less nauseating in public.”

Jeonghan and Seungcheol looked at him blankly, “What?”

“Nothing nothing nothing.” Vernon shook his head and scooped up some rice.

“Are we too lovey-dovey for you, Vernonnie?” Seungcheol cooed and Vernon shook his head.

“I didn’t say anything hyung! Nothing, I said nothing!” he mimed zipping his mouth and Seungcheol laughed.

Jeonghan caught Seungkwan’s eye, smirking and Seungkwan laughed loudly, “Hyungs you’re basically married, it’s adorable.”

Jeonghan leaned against Seungcheol, face flushed, people would insist on making that comparison wouldn't they. Seungcheol kissed his head and Vernon covered his face again.

“Hyungs!!”

  
  


“For tomorrow, we were thinking about going to see one of the Gugak Roving performances? Maybe a play or traditional dance?” Jeonghan suggested, looking at Seungcheol for confirmation.

Seungcheol nodded, “Yeah, and there’s an art toy flea market thing on too, I thought it would be nice, we have a few friends we need to find birthday presents for but maybe you’d like to go too? If not we can go next weekend, it’s on for the month I think.”

“Sounds good hyungs!” Vernon said after a quick silent conversation with Seungkwan. And they called  _ them _ nauseating. “Our train is at 8 pm?”

“We’ll have dinner first, and drop you to the station for half seven if that works?”

The younger two nodded and Jeonghan smiled, “Now. Do we want to get dessert here or there are a few dessert trucks down by the river?”

“Trucks!” 

Three children. Jeonghan was at dinner with three children.

Seungcheol ushered the others out to the car while Jeonghan settled the bill. Paying both compliments and a hefty tip to the chef, before he snagged a business card and made a mental note to suggest this restaurant for business meetings with his clients in the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, all of these exhibitions are real!
> 
> [Hans Christian Anderson](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=3062571)  
> [David Hockney](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/culture/2020/02/145_265909.html)  
> [Gugak Roving Performances](https://blog.naver.com/kgtart)  
> [Art Toy Flea Market](http://www.ani.seoul.kr/)


	10. Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hair

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/720IN5MEzX9ySbGJ6zU3ms)

“Do you think I should grow it long again?” Jeonghan asked, standing in front of the mirror one October morning, still in his pyjamas, fluffing up the ends of his hair like a hedgehog.

Seungcheol rolled over in the bed and propped his head up, “I mean, I like it both ways- but didn’t it annoy you? Washing and drying, I mean?”

Jeonghan hummed, turning this way and that, “Yeah, but I liked it, it was pretty, I think it made me look softer?”

“I mean, kinda? But do you want soft for work? I think your hair right now is plenty soft?” Seungcheol felt like he was walking through a dangerous forest, “I love your hair Hannie, all lengths, you-”

“Yes, that’s very sweet Seungcheol-ah, but not very helpful.” Jeonghan kind of snapped and marched into the bathroom. Seungcheol closed his eyes again, sinking into the blankets with a sigh and there was the scary dragon.

Every now and then Jeonghan got nostalgic for his long hair, Seungcheol did too; but he’d cut it for a reason. It took ages to dry and he had to get up 30 minutes earlier on a weekday because it was too greasy to only wash every second or third day, it was a pain to style because most styles looked too feminine: Jeonghan could pull them off but it didn’t mean he always wanted to, and a lot more people accidentally called him Ms. It happened anyway, especially on holidays for some reason, but long hair made it a much more common occurrence. 

Jeonghan came out of the bathroom a while later, wrapped in his towel and avoided Seungcheol’s eyes as he got dressed, a little more casually than usual, just slacks and a button down this morning. 

“See you downstairs for breakfast?” Jeonghan asked tersely when he opened the door, forgoing their normal good morning kiss, and Seungcheol nodded.

“Down in five, love.” 

But for every downside of Jeonghan’s hair there was at least one upside. It was breathtakingly pretty. Jeonghan looked even more amazing with it long, and if he grew it out now, in his natural hair colour instead of the previous dyed version, it would look even more perfect. Lilac was beautiful, but Seungcheol always preferred Jeonghan’s own dark brown hair. He loved playing with it, which he did anyway no matter the length, but when it was long it was more soothing for both of them and less like a head massage. It was also pullable. Which doesn’t sound like a positive, but Jeonghan loved it and it was slightly harder to do when his hair was short... they still managed. And Jeonghan was right, it did make him look softer, more gentle, but that could be a blessing and a curse. And Jeonghan loved it long. Which mattered more than anything else.

"If you want to grow it, grow it." Seungcheol whispered into Jeonghan's ear, leaning his chin on Jeonghan's shoulder and wrapping his arms around his stomach.

Jeonghan had been pouring coffee and he paused. “You don’t mind?” Seungcheol’s heart. Why did he sound so delicate about it?

“No? Why would I?”

“I look too feminine?”

“No! You don’t. You look like Yoon Jeonghan with long hair. If anyone said anything…”

“You’re sure?”

Seungcheol spun Jeonghan around and caged him against the counter. “Jeonghan-ah. You look unreal with long hair. You look unreal with short hair. You look unreal. You’re as sexy as hell with long hair. You’re as sexy as hell with short hair. You’re as sexy as hell. I don’t care if you look masculine or feminine, I know who you are, and as long as you’re comfortable with the way you look then so am I. If you want to grow it long to be more feminine then do that, as long as you feel happy and comfortable, then who cares?”

Jeonghan nodded slowly, staring somewhere near Seungcheol’s chin and Seungcheol sighed. “I love you. So it doesn’t matter what you are okay? Seriously, fat, thin, tall, short, old, wrinkly,” he paused and then hedged, “masculine, feminine. I. Love. You.”

Jeonghan shuffled forwards and wrapped his arms around Seungcheol tightly. Seungcheol hugged him back. 

“I’m sorry for snapping.” The apology was muffled against Seungcheol’s sleep shirt and he kissed the side of Jeonghan’s head.

“Thank you, love. Now come on, you need to eat before you go,” Seungcheol squeezed him tight before letting him go and ushering him towards the table, “Ooo you did overnight oats. I’ll get the drinks, sit, eat.”

  
  
  


After dinner that night, Seungcheol brought out their photo albums and piled them on the coffee table. 

“What’s this?” Jeonghan asked with a laugh as he sat down with his tea.

Seungcheol opened the first album, their first year together, “You missed your hair, and if you are serious about growing it you have to pick a style, and also, you got me all nostalgic, so… photo albums!”

Jeonghan leaned against Seungcheol as he flicked through the album, saying nothing. That was okay. The words would come later. They had 7 albums to get through after all.

Seungcheol flipped through the first one quickly, it was mainly him and his friends, some snaps of various exes, and then. “Oh. My. God. I forgot you had your hair like that. It was so hot? Like that streak of lavender, just-” he fanned himself and Jeonghan punched his shoulder.

“Seriously?”

“Yeah?” Seungcheol turned to him, “Like, I knew who you were before but I think my crush truly grew wings when you dyed that tiny streak. Urgh, my friends didn’t hear the end of it. Like the length was amazing but the  _ streak _ just did  _ things _ to my  _ soul _ .”

“You should have gone into acting Cheol-ah,” Jeonghan hummed and settled back against his shoulder and Seungcheol huffed.

“I’m being serious? Oh my god no, we don’t need to see those pictures, why do we have pictures of that party?” Seungcheol squealed and Jeonghan leaned and just turned a massive chunk of pages.

“I have no need to relive that-”

“Alright alright, oh I loved that jumper,” Seungcheol looked fondly at a picture of himself at the seaside, hands in his pockets, screaming at whoever was taking the photo. “Wonwoo-ya stole it and I never saw it again.”

A few pages later, Jeonghan stopped Seungcheol’s flipping and tapped a picture heavily. “Joshua dyed my hair that time. And I mean, I do look good blond, but my hair felt like straw for ages.”

Seungcheol swallowed, “This is a weirdly arousing experience.”

“Seungcheol-ah!” Jeonghan whacked him again.

“Abuse! Abuse!”

“Shut up. You brought these albums out to make me feel better.”

“And do you feel better?”

“I don’t think I want any of those hairstyles again? But I’m remembering all the feelings that came with them.”

There were a handful of short styles and Seungcheol stopped on one, swallowing rapidly, “When? Where? Why? What?”

“I think I was still in secondary school then, is there a date?”

“You look,” Seungcheol breathed, “like Draco Malfoy.”

Jeonghan turned to him with a raised eyebrow, “Babe, I didn’t realise you had a love for him of all people, like what a snake.”

“You are one to talk-”

Jeonghan twacked him with a cushion and flipped the pages forward, “Not today sunshine, not today.”

  
  
  


“I want to grow it.” the words finally came when they were in bed, whispered against the sheets and Seungcheol reached for Jeonghan’s hand blindly.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. I want it long, and it’s pretty, I want to feel pretty Cheollie.”

“You are pretty.” Seungcheol yawned and Jeonghan scooched closer, tucking himself under Seungcheol’s chin.

“I’m handsome.” he corrected quietly and Seungcheol squeezed his hand.

“Ok, if you want to be pretty, we’ll get you pretty. Are you going to let it grow naturally?”

“Maybe extensions until it grows in?” Jeonghan didn’t sound very sure and Seungcheol hummed.

“Whatever you want babe. Let’s talk about it when I’m more awake, ok?”

“Okay.” Jeonghan whispered and Seungcheol kissed his head again. He did love him.

“Okay, love you.”

“Love you too.”

  
  
  


“So what was so urgent we’re meeting before our regularly scheduled Sunday Brunch?” Joshua asked, sliding into the seat opposite Jeonghan in their favourite wine bar. Jeonghan barely looked at him, twisting the napkin round and round his fingers. Joshua looked carefully, Jeonghan looked stressed. It was probably work. “Hannie?”

Jeonghan looked up, and his expression. Joshua reached out to tap their shoes together in silent reassurance.

“You can tell me anything, remember?”

Jeonghan nodded, “I know, I, I don’t know where this is going, but hear me out?”

“Of course.”

“Well. Maybe I know but. I-” Jeonghan took a deep breath and focused on the candle in the centre of the table, “-Seungcheol-ah calls me handsome all the time, but I want him to call me pretty, and gorgeous and sweet, but also handsome and stuff, and I want to grow my hair. I don’t know what it all means Jisoo-ya, I did some Naver searches and I don’t know it’s all very daunting I’m still me I just have all these … feelings.” 

Joshua nodded sagely, “Ah yes, feelings. Those things, that we get from time to time-”

“Shua, I’m having a crisis here.”

“-and we think that our friends won’t understand us, tut tut tut.” Joshua reached for Jeonghan’s hand and flagged down the waiter. “Two glasses of a Bordeaux Merlot please.” Before turning back to Jeonghan with a serious expression, “Jeonghan-ah. You’ve always coloured outside the lines with gender?”

“Of course, in college, when I had my hair long, that was the most comfortable I’ve ever been in my skin, but, but you know, and then I never looked it up.” Jeonghan shrugged, pulling his hands back to himself at a look from a nearby table. Joshua sighed. 

“Hannie-ya. I’m sure Cheol-ah will have no issue calling you pretty or sweet or gorgeous, because you are. And you’ll love your hair once you grow it out. Why don’t we start with that, and see how you feel? Or we could do some shopping in the meanwhile?” Joshua offered, trying to give the contact he knew Jeonghan needed by hooking his ankle around his, and Jeonghan nodded his head slowly.   
“Thank you.”

“Let’s take baby steps. You know I’ll be here for you no matter what.” Joshua was firm, blowing all doubt from Jeonghan’s head. He did know that. Of course he knew that.

“End of the line and all that.”

That startled a laugh out of Joshua, “Look at you, quoting Marvel. Exactly. Don’t worry about whatever you found online, everybody is different, and everyone does things differently. Take it day by day. That’s all anyone can do. Right?”

“Yeah. Yeah you’re right.” Jeonghan sighed before smiling at the waiter as their wines arrived.

“Of course I’m right,” Joshua winked, taking a large sip, “Now, tell me how Jeonghee is doing. How’s her new job? And her husband?”

Jeonghan put his glass down and launched into the latest gossip from his sister, mind a little more at bay than it had been.


	11. I.F.L.Y

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lunch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3e106mv83amdLAPdsU4OIN?si=BvRMUYmPTFOVrNeoYOwNHA)

“Seungcheol-ssi?” Seungcheol’s assistant slipped her head around the door and tapped against the table.

Seungcheol looked around from the screens and slipped his headphones off. “Hey, all good?”

“Your partner is outside, can I send him in?”

“Yes, of course, thanks Yuna-ya.” Seungcheol said, a smile breaking out on his face at the thought of seeing Jeonghan. He’d been in the office pretty much 24/7 the past four days, a new artist had been signed last minute and it was all hands on deck for their debut.

Jeonghan came through the door in a flutter of coats and bags, “Hi honey! I was nearby, the artist’s management is only a ten minute drive from here so I figured you wouldn’t’ve had lunch yet and I needed to eat, and we haven’t spoken properly in so long—” 

Jeonghan put everything down carefully and dropped into Seungcheol’s lap, Seungcheol’s hands flying up to steady him.

“—and I wanted to speak to you and I’ve missed you and I’m sorry but it’s just so hectic right now—” 

Jeonghan bent forward to plant an absent kiss on Seungcheol’s mouth, barely breaking his flow.

“—so I thought we could eat lunch together? I got sushi?” Jeonghan leaned back against Seungcheol’s arms and looked at him.

Seungcheol was smiling softly at him, “Of course we can eat lunch love, just let me save what I'm working on and then I'm all yours."

Jeonghan nodded and made no attempt to move, just rested his head on Seungcheol's shoulder. Seungcheol turned the chair back to the desk and saved everything with one hand, the other soothing tiny circles on Jeonghan's back.

"Okay, I'm all yours," Seungcheol murmured and Jeonghan pulled back enough for Seungcheol to kiss him gently. Sweetly.

Jeonghan leaned off Seungcheol’s lap to grab one of the paper bags, thighs clinging on for dear life. “Sushi?” he asked once he’d straightened back up, hair falling over his eyes.

Seungcheol closed his mouth. “Sounds perfect. You’re staying here?”

Looking up from opening a tray, Jeonghan paused, his eyes flicking over Seungcheol’s face, “I can move?”

“It’s fine, I was just wondering,” Seungcheol shook his head, “Did you bring teriyaki sauce?”

Jeonghan returned to his preparation, “Of course I did.” He scooted back a tiny bit and handed Seungcheol his own tray. Not that that stopped either of them from feeding each other constantly.

“What are you working on?” 

“Editing that album that we’re working on with Woozi-ya, it’s really clever. You’re going to love some of the tracks. There’s this one track,  _ Lie Again _ , Woozi-ya sings it duet with Ailee-ssi, and it’s just so emotional? It’s a break-up in action, but both parties feel that they’re the guilty party. There’s this line, “Even as I need you every day, I push you away”, and the way they sing it… Maybe there was some truth to those rumours a few years back. The sheer amount of emotion in their voices made me tear up while they were recording it.”

“Oh I can’t wait. I love both of their voices. Can I get a sneak-”

“No. Don’t you even try!” Seungcheol wheeled them further away from the desk with a laugh and Jeonghan pouted. “How are the babies doing?”

“Ridiculously unprepared. Whoever did their PR before were pathetic. They’re kids and they keep blushing when we come at them with practice questions about their relationships with each other or with past partners or their ideal types. Their stages, from the bits I’ve seen look okay? I don’t know. It’s stressful.”

“Well it’s good they moved agents then right?”

Jeonghan hummed around a mouthful of rice, tilting his head in a so-so motion, “Yeah? Good for them. Stressful as all hell for everyone else. They’re only kids, like?”

“Yeah, I get you. Forget about it for now?” Seungcheol lifted a morsel from his own tray up to Jeonghan, who took it with a content sigh and nodded.

“That’s the plan.”

After they both finished their food, Jeonghan tossed the bag onto the floor and hooked his arms around Seungcheol’s neck. “I know we don’t do this, and it’s your studio, and it’s our lunch break, but I really want a good old fashioned make out session.” 

They hadn’t locked the door, and while Yuna should have the good sense to leave him alone after his partner arrived, anyone could come in at any time. 

Seungcheol raised an eyebrow, but put his hand on the centre of his back to steady him anyway, the last thing they needed was an injury.

“Please? We’ve only had Good Morning and Good Night kisses for ages and—” he stopped, blinking, Seungcheol’s other hand had slipped down to plam his backside. “Is that a yes?”

“Come on then love, we’re running out of time here.” Seungcheol smirked, reaching for the nape of Jeonghan’s neck with his stabilising hand and tangling his fingers in his locks. Jeonghan moved with the touch, steadying himself with a hand beside Seungcheol’s head and kissing up his jaw, ending at his mouth. 

They kissed like they were parched. In a sense they were. Jeonghan could taste the teriyaki that Seungcheol always used too much of and the lemonade he’d had with his food. He parted his lips, and Seungcheol licked in, drinking up Jeonghan’s quiet whine.

Jeonghan melted against him, Seungcheol’s hands a reassuring, steadying weight on his neck and bum, and kissed down Seungcheol’s neck. Seungcheol’s head arched back to granting him access and he swallowed. Jeonghan trailed kisses after his Adam's apple, ending at the hollow of his throat, under his collar, and sucked a mark into the skin. 

Seungcheol moaned, sudden and surprised, and Jeonghan kissed back up to his mouth, resisting from grinding down into his partner’s lap by sheer force of will. 

The kiss this time was slow and gentle. Jeonghan licking and nipping gently until Seungcheol opened up to let him in. Seungcheol’s hand in his hair tugged him closer as he sank into the kiss, both of them breathing hard every time they had to pull away for air, breathing each other in. It was good, it was perfect, but Jeonghan wanted more.

Seungcheol seemed to sense that, and tipped them forward slightly, Jeonghan scrambling to hold onto Seungcheol’s shoulders, before realising that Seungcheol had him secure. He kissed him several times in succession—each gentler than the last—before worrying Jeonghan’s lower lip gently as his breath hitched, eyes fluttering. 

He pulled back and tilted them both back upright.

Jeonghan’s eyes were still closed and he looked  _ wrecked _ . His hair was a complete mess from Seungcheol pulling at it, his lips were swollen and he had a flush high on his cheeks. He licked his lips slowly before opening his eyes, a smile oozing it’s way onto his face. “I do love you.” And his voice was all raspy. 

“I love you too,” Seungcheol smiled, brushing a strand of hair behind Jeonghan’s ear. Jeonghan turned to kiss his palm and Seungcheol shifted slightly, drawing their attention south. Jeonghan blushed harder, but moved so he was side-saddling Seungcheol’s lap cuddling up against him, and Seungcheol wrapped his arms around him. “How long until you need to go?”

“I have ten minutes,” Jeonghan said after twisting to see the clock on the wall. 

“Do you want tea? Coffee? I can ask Yuna to grab something?

“No, just. Hold me like this?” Jeonghan interlaced his fingers with one of Seungcheol’s hands and Seungcheol smiled.

“Of course.”

“Joshua’s bringing me shopping tomorrow,” Jeonghan whispered and Seungcheol hummed. “He needs to order in new things for his makeup kit and he’s going to try some things on me, like in college, and there’s a boutique opening up, friend of Shua’s we’re going to support them, champagne reception, maybe try on some things-” Jeonghan tensed a little and Seungcheol rubbed his shoulder, “Pretty things?”

“Sounds like you’re going to have a good time,” Seungcheol said quietly and Jeonghan exhaled, “Stop worrying so much, I love you whatever way you look or feel okay?”

Jeonghan nodded, “I know, it’s just, it’s a little scary.”

“I understand that. But I’m here, and Shua is here, lean on us.”

The clock ticked on and Jeonghan slipped reluctantly off Seungcheol’s lap. He pulled a mirror out of his bag, “Cheol-ah, what did you do to me?” Seungcheol just chuckled and watched with lazy eyes as Jeonghan took a comb to the rats nest that Seungcheol had made of his hair, taming it swiftly, movements long practiced. 

“Nothing can fix the fact that my lips are swollen. Well,” Jeonghan snapped the mirror shut and looked up at Seungcheol. “I’ve no meetings left. No idea what time I’ll be home, we need to fix their website and go through all the member’s personal greeting things, they really should have hired us earlier. Anyway. What time do you finish?”

“Probably around 6, there’s no rush on the album. They want it by Friday and I only have two tracks left to review. Try and get home before 10 Hannie, you’re no use if you’re exhausted.”

“I know, I’ll try. Okay,” Jeonghan threw everything into his bag, threw it over his shoulder, kissed Seungcheol and grabbed his coat, halting at the door, “See you later. Thanks Cheol-ah. Really.”

“Anytime love. Safe driving.”

“Bye~”


	12. Partition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cooking Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Author here. There's sex in this chapter, pretty non-explicit, but if you want to skip, then stop here:  
>  _Seungcheol melted into the sheets, the month’s tension draining out of him._  
>  and restart here: _Back in bed_  
>  It's less sex and more dialogue so maybe skim the Nine Inch Nails segment and see if you can cope with that, it doesn't get much more vivid.
> 
> [Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4JwaswmJvS1v6FhJAhY6h1?si=xJMA6cQ1TWau3Oe409BFfg) AND [A Songs from the Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0XEk8d7VLCEejgbVImfhyE?si=_FTyd_ivT0SP5YtJbBJeEw)

“Jeonghan-ah!!” Seungcheol’s screech of surprise filled the kitchen as Jeonghan crept up behind him to drawl, “hyyyyyyydromatic” and Jeonghan burst into loud cackles.

Seven years ago, they’d both ended up at a house party that had devolved, predictably, into a massive karaoke sesh. They hadn’t yet been properly introduced, but Seungcheol always swore that he’d fallen in love with Jeonghan the minute he’d seen his eyes. Jeonghan however, had had no clue who the slightly dorky boy in the dungarees was until he’d stepped up in front of everyone and insisted that he sang _‘You’re The One That I Want’_ from Grease. Seungcheol had included all the moves and when he’d ended up on his knees in front of Jeonghan on the words “It’s electrifying!” Jeonghan had had absolutely no idea what to do or where to look.

Several of Jeonghan’s friends had pushed him up to sing Sandy’s part before he could even properly digest what was going on and they’d ended the duet singing nose to nose only to be startled apart by cat calls. Jeonghan had been mortified and refused to speak to him for a week afterwards, despite Seungcheol appearing at every possible chance and begging for him to ‘just hear me out!’

The entire duet was caught on camera and it was one of the cringiest things Jeonghan and Seungcheol had ever done. It had brought them together though, as Jeonghan had eventually seen the video and been enamoured by Seungcheol’s confidence. And as they say, the rest was history. 

When they recovered, Seungcheol wiping at his eyes with a towel, they managed to get everything into the pot and bubbling before the next embarrassing song started to play.

Jeonghan covered his face with his hands, blush running high on his cheeks. They’d been at something, maybe a birthday, and he’d been asked to sing. He’d been big into Shinee at the time, and he’d picked _‘View’_. Thankfully he didn’t break into the dance, but it _had been_ **_close_**. Seungcheol had been so flustered by Jeonghan’s confidence that he’d knocked over a bowl of chips as Jeonghan strutted towards him.

Seungcheol sashayed across the kitchen with the wooden spoon held up as a microphone singing the chorus and tugged Jeonghan into an awkward sway, pulling his hands away and tucking his hair behind his ears.

“Don’t be embarrassed-”

“You didn’t turn into some very odd sort of predator in front of your parents!” Jeonghan spluttered and Seungcheol spun him closer.

“I knocked over Wonwoo’s favourite flavour of chips. That was just as bad,” Seungcheol said completely seriously and Jeonghan burst out laughing. “Okay, it wasn’t, but half of these songs are me making a show of myself!”

Jeonghan had to concede _that_ point. 

The next one was Rihanna’s ‘ _Love The Way You Lie’._ Neither of them had listened to the lyrics properly before they’d chosen it as a party piece for one of their friend’s birthdays. It was only after the lyrics were up on the screen and Seungcheol was halfway through his rap that it had dawned on Jeonghan, suddenly and awfully, that the words did **_not_ ** apply to their relationship. They’d sung it anyway, but Jeonghan had clung to Seungcheol afterwards and felt ridiculous. Rihanna was one of his favourite artists, Seungcheol had just been going along with it.

By the time dinner was ready, the playlist had finished with their college years, moving instead onto the first song that Seungcheol had had a sound engineering credit on, _‘Winter Mountain’_ by S.Coups; and a hit by the first artist whose PR team Jeonghan had been assigned to, DK’s ‘ _Missed Connections’_. 

They had gone all out, candles, cloth napkins, the good cutlery that Jeonghan’s grandmother had left him in her will, and flowers. Jeonghan had come home earlier that day with a bouquet of red lilies for Seungcheol, and when Seungcheol had arrived home, they’d swapped bouquets. 

Seungcheol had given Jeonghan a beautiful bouquet of pink tulips. On their first Valentine’s day together, Seungcheol had bought Jeonghan a single pink tulip. Not too strong, the florist had reassured him that it meant caring and attachment, and Jeonghan had appreciated it a lot more than he would have a red rose. 

Dinner was delicious, quiet but full of cutlery clinks, glass refills, meaningful looks, smiles, ‘this is really good’ and ‘so much more intimate than going out’. They moved to the couch for dessert, devil’s food cake from their favourite bakery and didn’t even bother to pretend to not be sappy and soppy romantics. 

Seungcheol pushed Jeonghan down onto the couch and straddled his legs. Jeonghan leaned back into the cushions, “Hey, I thought we were going to watch a film?” 

Seungcheol twisted and picked a slice of cake and a fork up off the coffee table, a dusting of red across his cheeks as he scooped up a forkful. “Mmm, but cake?”

Jeonghan chucked but obligingly opened his mouth for the cake, looping fingers through Seungcheol’s belt loops.

Seungcheol watched him like a hawk, “Is it good?”

Swallowing and nodding, Jeonghan slipped the fork from Seungcheol’s fingers and sliced off a bit of the cake, lifting it up to Seungcheol’s mouth, “Taste.” Seungcheol hummed in pleasure and once he’d swallowed it all, Jeonghan tugged him down for a kiss.

Their playlist had switched to ‘ _Baby, Good Night_ ’, the start of the more sensual and sultry songs, and Jeonghan kept interrupting Seungcheol’s focused feeding by reeling him in for kiss after kiss after kiss. But once Seungcheol had put the plate back on the table, Jeonghan just tickled his sides until Seungcheol readjusted and cuddled close, feeling loved and cherished and small.

“Right honey, love-of-my-life, light-of-my-world, the-only-one-for-me, we wanted to watch Black Widow?” Jeonghan reached for his phone to cast the film, peppering kisses on Seungcheol’s head as he groped the couch for the mobile.

“We’re gonna continue this later?”

“Sure honey.”

  
  


They didn’t finish the film. 

Seungcheol wanted more cake and by the time they’d worked through a second slice, Jeonghan practically chased him up the stairs, Seungcheol running giggling ahead of him while Jeonghan made a detour to the kitchen for the bowl of strawberries they’d chopped earlier and the tub of whipped cream.

In the bedroom, Seungcheol had put on another playlist, also themed. He liked to collect songs that they had had sex to. It was a long playlist. They were big proponents of mood music.

When Jeonghan closed the door behind him and set everything down on the bedside table, Hozier’s ‘ _Cherry Wine_ ’ was playing low from the speakers and Seungcheol was reclined on the bed, hands under his head. Jeonghan slung a leg over Seungcheol’s waist and leaned down, the tips of his hair tickling Seungcheol’s cheeks.

“Hey.” Jeonghan’s voice was already a tone lower and Seungcheol shivered, tilting his head up to meet Jeonghan’s lips. They kissed slowly. Jeonghan licked at the seam of Seungcheol’s mouth until he opened up for him with a gasp, and then licked into his mouth like a particularly persistent cat.

When they broke apart, Seungcheol reached up to drag a thumb under Jeonghan’s eye, “I love your eyeliner, it’s so pretty.”

“Thank you, it took me an hour.”

The song faded into Nine Inch Nails’s ‘ _Closer_ ’ and Jeonghan smirked, “Really honey?” He manoeuvred Seungcheol’s wrists so they crossed just above his head, Seungcheol’s pupils were blown wide. 

“Backseat of your car, your birthday, 4 years ago,” Seungcheol managed and Jeonghan grinned.

“Oh you’re right, that was fun,” Jeonghan leaned back down to kiss him but hovered just above his lips to hum along with the music, “What was that line? Oh yeah, _I wanna fuck you like an animal._ ”

Seungcheol laughed, “Well…”

“ _I wanna feel you from the inside_? These lyrics are something else,” Jeonghan laughed and kissed him again. Seungcheol melted into the sheets, the month’s tension draining out of him.

  
  
  


By the time ‘ _No Diggidy_ ’ came on, Seungcheol was stretched out, naked and moaning under Jeonghan’s talented hands and gentle kisses.

“Hannie, please, please I’m ready, come on~” Seungcheol begged for the fifth time.

Jeonghan just hummed and pressed a kiss to his inner thigh, “after this song.”

Seungcheol threw his head back into the pillows and tried to calm himself down. “Why this one?”

“I get to rap,” Jeonghan cackled and Seungcheol looked at him in slowly dawning horror. “When did we have sex to this?” Jeonghan asked, slipping his fingers free and coating them in more lube.

“Mmm, my bedroom, my-ah, Jeonghan~” Seungcheol broke off into a moan and Jeonghan laughed lightly.

“Keep going.”

“My, ah, my bedroom at home, summer after graaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaduation!” Seungcheol’s leg flew up and narrowly missed hitting Jeonghan in the face. “Please!”

“ _Hey yo hey yo hey yo~_ ” Jeonghan sang along gently and Seungcheol grumbled. “ _Cause that’s my peeps and we roll deep—_ ”

“Please don’t try to rap,” Seungcheol begged, eyes closing and turning to hide his blush.

“— _What you know about me? Not a motherfuckin' thing—”_

“Please don’t do this to me right now.” 

“— _pinkie diamond ring, We be's the baddest clique—”_

“Jeonghan!”

Jeonghan laughed but finished the verse, Seungcheol closing his eyes and trying to think of nice things, like puppies, and Jeonghan doing! Something! About! His! Predicament! 

The song finally ended and Jeonghan slipped his fingers free with a squelch. Seungcheol wrinkled his nose. “Songs over, come on Hannie~”

“Okay okay, what’s next?” Jeonghan rocked back onto his heels and wiped his hands on a towel before his head snapped up and he looked at Seungcheol with narrowed eyes. “WHAT is this _doing_ on our playlist?”

They stared at each other in silence. From the speakers came the tinny strains of ‘ _I_ _t’s a Small World_ ’.

Jeonghan dove for Seungcheol’s phone, “It’s already stuck in my head! What did you put this on for?!”

Sheepishly, Seungcheol muttered, “Disneyland two years ago.”

“We said we’d never talk about that again!! Seungcheol!” Jeonghan skipped ahead to a much more appropriate song, Beyoncé’s ‘ _Partition_ ’. “There. That’s better.”

“I love this beat,” Seungcheol mumbled into Jeonghan’s lips as Jeonghan set a pace to the music, clinging to his shoulders and hooking a leg behind his back.

“After the amount of times this song has been on in this bedroom, I’d hope so.”

_Take all of me, I just want to be the one you like._

“Faster Hannie-” 

_Fever! When you kiss me, fever when you hold me tight._

Shifting, Jeonghan folded Seungcheol’s leg up against him, “Hold that there.”

Seungcheol nodded, gripping his knee and hiccoughing at the new angle as Jeonghan sped up, “Yes, yes, YES, just there-”

“Hannie, gonna, gonna-” Seungcheol tilted his head up and Jeonghan kissed him, messy and heated but exactly what Seungcheol needed.

“Go ahead, perfect song for it.” Jeonghan giggled between kisses, Donna Summer’s ‘ _Love to Love you Baby_ ’ had just started with it’s explicit moans and breaths. Seungcheol practically imitated the song as he tensed and came, spilling onto their stomachs with a loud moan.

“Can I keep going? Too sensitive?” Jeonghan asked, slowing to a grind and peppering kisses over Seungcheol’s face as he came back to himself.

“Come on, babe, Hannie, please,” Seungcheol clutched at Jeonghan’s shoulders and tensed around him until Jeonghan picked his pace back up, hips stuttering as he got closer, and eventually pushing in and staying there, moaning Seungcheol’s name into his mouth.

The playlist faded into ‘ _Chained Up_ ’ and Jeonghan slipped carefully out of Seungcheol, reaching over to turn it off. “You okay?” Jeonghan asked, looking down at the blissed out expression on his partner.

Seungcheol tugged him back down, “Snuggles.”

“We have to go clean up.” Jeonghan protested, even as he settled back on top of Seungcheol, ignoring the mess.

“5 minutes.”

“Okay, but then we are showering.”

Back in bed, fresh sheets and brand new matching pyjamas, they ate the strawberries, dipping them in the cream and feeding them to each other between gentle kisses and soft words.

“Happy anniversary, love you.”

“Happy anniversary, love you more.”


	13. See You Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Washing Dishes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7pl5cYiPVzO2XAOOm4w8Jb?si=caKIf68dQA6CoqSiBYCZKA)

Yawning and tying his dressing gown, Jeonghan padded down the stairs to the kitchen in search of his partner. They’d thrown a New Years party the night before and ideally he’d sleep for a week, but he’d promised to meet up with Joshua that afternoon, something about a New Year’s house clearout, and they had lots of cleaning up to do.

“Cheol-ah?” Jeonghan yawned again, leaning against Seungcheol’s back. He was elbows deep in the sink and bopping away to an internal tune.

Seungcheol craned his neck to smile at him, “Good morning babe. Happy New Year again. I woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep. Thought I might as well get started on these dishes.” 

Jeonghan nodded, kissed his shoulder and looked at the pile of dishes beside Seungcheol’s elbow. “You too. Let me get coffee or something and then I’ll dry.”

“Take your time. There’s coffee in the pot.”

Jeonghan turned around and surveyed the kitchen and living room. New Year’s parties didn’t quite result in a college party aftermath, nothing was stained or broken, but it was a mess. The couch definitely needed to be hoovered, the whole room needed to be hoovered. The dining table needed a thorough clean and … 

“Don’t tell me the busy lizzie is destroyed?”

“No, no, I just put it out the back to be out of the way. It’s not good for plants to take in cleaning products,” Seungcheol was quick to reassure and Jeonghan breathed a sigh of relief.

“Right.” Jeonghan dragged his eyes away from the mess inside, later. 

“Do you want to put on some music? I didn’t want to wake you,” Seungcheol asked as he scrubbed a pot and Jeonghan nodded, putting his coffee down and walking over to their records.

Jeonghan opened up the record player and knelt down to flick through the first shelf, “Anything particular?” 

“The Ray’s Rainbow?”

“Sure,” Jeonghan called back, searching for the record. He found it, slipped it free of it’s dust cover and placed it on the turntable, bringing the needle down carefully onto the edge. The intro crackled into life as Jeonghan closed the dust cover down softly and stepped away.

Leaning against the sink beside Seungcheol, coffee cradled in his hands, Jeonghan asked, “Do you think last night went well?”

“Yeah. I think everyone enjoyed themselves. Joshua seemed reluctant to leave though, what was that about?”

Jeonghan hummed, “He’s not used to an empty house yet. It’s, he’s... I think he’s finding it hard.”

Joshua’s girlfriend of nearly four years had broken up with him the weekend before their anniversary, and it had come out of nowhere. Joshua had been about to propose and everything, he had the ring bought and reservations made in her favourite restaurant. She’d said that she didn’t feel ‘the focus’ of his affections, whatever that meant. Joshua had nearly drowned in his tears until Jeonghan had turned up and forced him up out of the bed and into the kitchen, practically spoon feeding him until he snapped slightly back into the real world.

“We can have him over more if that would help?” Seungcheol offered, picking up a tea towel and starting to dry the mass of cutlery.

“Maybe, I’ll offer. He’ll be okay. I’m sure,” Jeonghan snatched the tea towel off Seungcheol and started drying, “It was lovely meeting Jihoon! He’s just as nice as you’d said, louder than I expected-”

“He texted actually, to thank us for a lovely evening.” Seungcheol smiled, picking up a plate. Jihoon, stage name Woozi, and Seungcheol had been working together more and more, and they’d really been getting on; going for coffee at breaks and chatting casually. When they’d been deciding who to invite for their party, Seungcheol had sent him an invite, half expecting him to be busy, he was a famous artist after all, but he’d turned up with wine.

“I was surprised that he knew Soonyoung and Minghao? Did they do choreo for his music?” The two dancers hadn’t signed with Jeonghan’s PR company in the end, but they’d ended up as casual friends and they’d been stuck in Seoul and free over the weekend.

“Probably, he’d pretty much worked with everyone at this stage. It was a good mix, everyone got on. Another successful party!” Seungcheol beamed and high fived Jeonghan. With his sudsy hand.

Jeonghan glared at him, “Choi Seungcheol you didn’t.”

“Yes I did, Yoon Jeonghan,” Seungcheol sassed and lifted his hands out of the tub quickly, flicking suds at Jeonghan.

Jeonghan screamed and darted backwards, “I’ll get you back for this!”

“Yeah, yeah.” Seungcheol turned the corner and plastered a sudsy beard on Jeonghan, who spluttered at him before rearing forward and kissing him.

He pulled back, pleased as punch, “Twinning!”

Seungcheol cackled and backed over to the sink, “Truce!! Truce!!”

“For now.” Jeonghan muttered darkly, wiping his beard off and putting the cutlery away.

“I was serious about Joshua,” Seungcheol called into the living room as Jeonghan turned off the hoover.

“What?”

“Joshua, he should come over if he’s lonely over there in that big house.”

Jeonghan paused in the doorway, hoover in hand, “What?”

“Nevermind.” Seungcheol turned back to the presses, putting the plates away.

“No, I mean, I heard you, but like. What do you mean? Hold on, let me get rid of this.”

Jeonghan closed the utility behind him and surveyed the spotless living room with a content smile. “Right, Cheol-ah. What do you mean?”

“Just. You guys are besties, platonic soulmates, ride-or-die guys and I don’t want you to feel like you can’t have him over or something–”

“Cheol-ah, I’ve never felt like that. This is my house too. And yes we’re best of best friends, Joshua knows he can call me whenever, and I don’t think either of you are going to make me choose? Cheol? Cheol?” Jeonghan watched, perplexed and a little worried, as Seungcheol turned back to the counter and started shaking. “What’s going on, honey?” 

“I don’t feel very well,” Seungcheol bit out and Jeonghan rushed over, hand on his back and peering round at his face.

“Like throwing up unwell or head unwell or is it pain?”

“Hurts-” Seungcheol gasped out, hand pressed to his stomach and Jeonghan bit his lip.

“How much pain?”

“9.” 

Seungcheol was as white as a sheet and Jeonghan made a decision, he needed to call the ambulance. They’d help. Where was his phone? Dammit why was it upstairs?

“Seungcheollie, I’m just going to run up and get my phone and call an ambulance, don’t try to move.” Jeonghan tried to be calm, but his voice was shaking, what would he do if Seungcheol- No. Don’t think like that. 

He took the stairs two steps at a time and dialled 119.

“National Emergency Service, how can I help you?”

“Ambulance please.”

“...Ambulance service, please state your emergency.”

“My friend is bent over, he’s in excruciating pain, his stomach?”

“Ok sir, can you ask him the following questions…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cackles quietly*


	14. Lonely

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hospital Visit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1sSJlEc7Fm82AwKKE539lD?si=HAydWbiZRlypKByOKsdW9A)

Jeonghan was completely calm. Seungcheol had been wheeled away from him in the A&E room five minutes ago and he was completely calm. He was just going to get a small operation and then he’d be out and Jeonghan would be able to see him again. He’d be perfectly fine. Jeonghan was completely calm. Everything was going to be just fine.

“Ma’am? Miss?” A nurse was crouched in front of him and Jeonghan shook himself, trying to give her a smile. “Oh I’m sorry, Sir, if you’d come with me I’ll take you to somewhere where you can wait. It’s a little quieter than here, you look like you need it.”

Jeonghan smiled and nodded a little shakily, “Ah, ok thank you, I’m sorry, I—hospitals aren’t my best—”

She stood up and he followed her, “Most people are the same. There’s a coffee machine and a snack machine in here too, someone will come to get you once your partner is out of surgery. Don’t worry.” She opened the door to a small waiting room, probably for partners of people in surgery, it was currently empty.

“Thank you, Nurse.” Jeonghan bowed his head and she smiled before closing the door softly behind her. 

Jeonghan sat down. He should text someone. 

  
  
  
  
  


His phone rang, Joshua.

“Heya Jeonghannie, is everything alright? I tried to call you earlier?” Joshua sounded worried and upset, but mainly worried. 

Jeonghan shook his head, tears welling up in his eyes, “Shua~”

“Hey, hey, it’s ok,” The background noise disappeared, Joshua must have turned off the TV, “Tell me what’s going on Jeonghan-ah.”

“Seungcheol, Seungcheol, he-” damn it he was crying now.

“Breathe Jeonghan. Breathe, come on,” Joshua encouraged over the phone until Jeonghan was able to speak properly again. “There you go, ok, what happened?” He was Jeonghan’s best friend for a reason.

“Appendix, he, he started screaming and crying and I called an ambulance and they took him into the theatre, they said it should be fine but I’m so worried, what if it isn’t what if I have to go home on my own, Shua—” Jeonghan was bent over now tears dripping off his nose. He was glad there was nobody else in the waiting room. “I’m so scared—” the words cracked into the receiver. 

“Jeonghan, he’s going to be ok,” Joshua said calmly, “You did the right thing. I’m going to come and wait with you. What hospital are you in? There’s no point in you working yourself sick.” 

“You don’t have to—”

“What would Seungcheol-ah say?”

“Don’t worry.”

“Yep, and he’d also say listen to Joshua, he knows best.” Jeonghan laughed wetly as Joshua’s car door slammed and Jeonghan heard the engine start up. “Which hospital, Han?”

Joshua hurried in about twenty minutes later, two coffee cups in hand, and drew Jeonghan in for a hug the minute he saw him, swaying him slightly and humming until Jeonghan’s breathing eventually calmed and he pulled away with a shaky smile.

“Thanks Shua.”

“Don’t even. Here, I got chocolate too, eat it, it’ll do you good,” They both sat down on the metal chairs, leaning into each other a little. “Thousands of people get their appendix removed every year. It’s a surgeon’s bread and butter. Don’t worry. What you should be worrying about is how much Seungcheol-ah is going to milk this for the next few weeks.”

  
  


When Seungcheol opened his eyes, it was to Joshua looking over at him from the visitor chair. He squinted, “...Joshua?” He must be more out of it then he thought.

“Jeonghan’s gone to the bathroom. How are you feeling?” Joshua asked, scooting the chair closer and Seungcheol shrugged.

“Numb, better though I suppose. How is he?”

“Terrified that you wouldn’t wake up.” Joshua admitted, curling around himself a little.

“Thanks for—” Seungcheol waved his hand and Joshua nodded. 

“Of course.”

“Shua—Oh! You’re awake!” Jeonghan practically launched himself at Seungcheol only stopping a centimetre away, hands fluttering over him. “How are you feeling?” He interlaced their fingers and Seungcheol gripped back tightly.

“Better. Love you.”

“I love you too. You scared me,” Jeonghan whispered, leaning down to lean his cheek against Seungcheol’s. “I love you so much.”

“It’s ok, I’m okay,” Seungcheol repeated over and over until Jeonghan felt able to pull back, eyes wet but not crying.

A nurse arrived and shooed Joshua out of the room, “Family only. Are you a sibling?” She asked looking at Jeonghan but Seungcheol responded.

“He is my next of kin.” 

Jeonghan tensed, gripping tightly to Seungcheol’s hand but the nurse only nodded before continuing on.

“Okay, you can stay. So the operation went well, no complications at all. For a full recovery, you’re looking at between four to six weeks, but you should be up and about within the week. The anaesthetic can still affect you for the next 48 hours—” 

Jeonghan was jotting everything down into his notebook and the nurse smiled at him gently. 

“—so no driving or drinking or anything big till after that, don’t drive until you’re not feeling any pain. Nothing strenuous for around 14 days, the steristrips should fall off in about a week, and after that if you’re up to it, you can have sex, but not before, and ideally after three weeks, just to reduce the chance of infections and pain. You’ll have a follow up visit in a week, and you can discuss going back to work then. Don’t be afraid to ask for help standing and things like that. Take it easy. The doctor will be around to see you in an hour or so and he’ll let you know when you can go home, but you’ll most likely be staying the night, just to make sure everything is okay. Any questions?” She asked briskly and when they both shook their heads she smiled, “Ok, if you think of any, just ask at the nurse station, and if you’re in any pain, press the bell and someone will be in.” She left quickly.

“See love, I’m going to be fine.” Seungcheol said softly and Jeonghan nodded, hand tight in his.

“You’ll be fine.”

“You should go home later and get some proper sleep, and bring me clothes! Don’t stay here, you won’t get any sleep.”

“We’ll deal with that later.”

“Go and get something to eat love, I’m fine, I’m going to be fine, the Doctor said I’m going to be fine. Go eat and sleep and when you come in the morning I’ll be ready to go home,” Seungcheol begged at 6pm when Jeonghan still hadn’t left his side. “Call Joshua and he’ll come get you, he said he would earlier. Stay with him, the house will be too silent, you won’t sleep.”

“I don’t want to leave you.” Jeonghan whispered and Seungcheol sighed.

“I know love, I know. But you are going to worry yourself sick, and if you aren’t well then who is going to take care of me?” 

“What if something happens?” 

“Jeonghan-ah, nothing is going to happen. Look, let’s ask the nurse.”

“Is everything okay sir?” A nurse popped up the minute Seungcheol pressed the call button and Seungcheol nodded, Jeonghan blushed and wouldn’t look up.

“I’m okay, sorry. My partner is really worried and I was hoping you could reassure him that it’s okay for him to go home and sleep. I’ll be fine through the night?” Seungcheol asked, and thankfully the nurse nodded his head, smiling.

“It’s perfectly normal to be worried Sir,” the nurse looked at Jeonghan and Jeonghan nodded, “Mr. Choi is perfectly fine. We’re just keeping him in for observation, but most complications occur in the first hour and he’s well past that now. If anything does happen we’ll ring you immediately.”

“Thank you, Nurse.” Jeonghan said quietly and the nurse smiled.

“No worry at all. Now go home and get some rest.”

“See!” Seungcheol said when the nurse was gone, “I’ll be fine. Ring Joshua and go sleep. Please Hannie.” With puppy eyes like that how could anyone resist.

“Okay! Okay, okay. I’ll ring him now. Stop looking at me like that,” Jeonghan shook his head and brought the phone to his ear.

What a way to end the year.


	15. Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taking Care of the Sick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3Eyj79BFgKc0LcnvVRwQmA?si=owGvCGYCTg2g5IzkuvQztw)

“Jeonghannie, I feel fine,” Seungcheol said, reaching out for him and Jeonghan frowned at him, “I’ve been home for three days and you haven’t let me do anything, please. You need to go into the office, just go. I’ll be fine and I have your number and Eomma is nearby and Yuna-ya even said she’d come over if I needed anything. Just go to work. I’ll be fine.”

Jeonghan just frowned and Seungcheol sighed. Jeonghan had managed to work from home for most of the week, but he had meetings today that he needed to be there for in person.

“Look. The nurse said as long as I don’t lift anything heavy and take it easy I’m fine. I’m probably mostly going to sleep anyway. There are plenty of leftovers, all I have to do is reheat them and the remote is like an inch away from my hand. I’m going to be fine.”

“Okay. Okay. You promise to call me if you need anything?” Jeonghan asked, dragging a hand through his hair and messing it up.

“I promise. Go on. I’ll see you later.”

Jeonghan grumbled but ultimately gave in. “Okay. Okay I’m gone.” He gave Seungcheol an awkward wave and marched out the front door, banging it loudly behind him.

Seungcheol exhaled and tipped his head onto the cushions. He was exhausted. It was like all he ever did was sleep, but he was still tired. 

The door opened again, “Seungcheol-ah? I love you right?” Jeonghan leaned around the living room door, “Have a nice day?”

“Love you too.” Seungcheol half laughed and Jeonghan blew him a kiss before leaving for real. He did so love his partner.

Seungcheol snoozed until lunch time, the TV on low and snuggled into the couch. His stomach woke him up and he yawned, checking the time. Time to see what he could rustle up from the fridge.

Swinging his legs off the couch, Seungcheol stood up slowly, only to drop immediately back onto the couch. Oh. He tried again, gripping the arm of the couch until his legs steadied. He made his way into the kitchen like that, holding onto chairs and doors and walls, even after he was sure his legs could carry him. The last thing he wanted was to fall and end up back in hospital.

Rummaging through the fridge he found some left overs of the chicken fried rice dish they’d had the day before? The day before that? It was hard to keep track of days when he wasn’t in work. He chucked it in the microwave and put on the kettle, leaning against the counter with a sigh. It wasn’t that he was sore exactly, more tired and bored. Mostly tired. Healing was tiring.

Eating slowly and texting Jeonghan to remind him to do the same, he’d been forgetting a lot lately. Seungcheol decided he’d go back to bed. Surely if he took the stairs slowly he’d be fine.

By the time he got to the landing, Seungcheol was sweating and drained. He leaned against the wall for a few seconds, ‘don’t fall asleep’ going through his mind on repeat until he felt able to move on. He pushed open the door to their bedroom and practically collapsed on the bed. He had no energy to even get under the covers or take off his slippers. 

He was out like a light in 5 seconds flat.

  
  
  
  
  


Seungcheol woke up slowly. There was a blanket over him and the smell of sandalwood, and a distant humming. He cracked open his eyes to see Jeonghan sitting against the wall opposite him, laptop on his knees and typing furiously. What was he doing back?

“Jeonghan-ah?” His mouth tasted like something died in it.

Jeonghan looked up, “Oh you’re awake. How are you feeling?”

“Why aren’t you in the office?”

“I came home and you had passed out, I’d prefer to be here. How are you feeling?”

“Better, I was so tired earlier. What time is it?”

Jeonghan closed his laptop and kneeled up, shuffling over to the bed, “It’s around 7pm.”

Seungcheol swallowed a few times, “Fell asleep after lunch. Are you still working?”

“No, I’m finished now. Do you want to come back downstairs for dinner?

Reaching for Jeonghan's hand, Seungcheol said, “Only if you help me.”

Nestled back on the couch, Seungcheol closed his eyes. “How was your day?”

Over the noise of chopping and frying and bubbling water, Jeonghan called back that it had been long. “Lots of people sending their best wishes for your speedy recovery! Mingyu-ah was particularly kind. He dropped by in person with flowers. And, listen to this—” Jeonghan came out of the kitchen, “—he wants to do another article on bondage and stuff, to try and put a positive and healthy spin on that book that everyone wants to burn. The things he had to say. Seriously. It’s like that author just picked the biggest baddest stereotype and wrote really shitty sex around it. He was pretty pissed off. Apparently he’s getting lots of toxic comments about him as the main character. I said I’d reach out to that journalist again, I vaguely remember he moved to a more liberal magazine lately. Anyway. That was between all the meetings and things, busy busy busy. What about you?” Jeonghan called over his shoulder as he stepped back into the kitchen.

“Slept mainly.”

After dinner, they both flopped back onto the couch, Seungcheol’s feet in Jeonghan’s lap, as Jeonghan talked about something Joshua had said, something about how Maeum, Joshua’s dog, had chased a cat or something, Seungcheol couldn’t focus properly. He yawned again and Jeonghan stopped.

“You can go asleep if you want honey. The nurse said not to fight it, it’ll make you heal better.” Jeonghan’s voice was gentle, like a beach breeze and he squeezed his ankles reassuringly.

“I was fine yesterday—”

“Healing is a slow process. Just give into sleep, I’m not going anywhere.”

Seungcheol reached for his hand, feeling like a child, but too tired and drained to try to fix it. “Don’t go.”

Jeonghan smiled at him softly, “I won’t. Love you.”

“Love you too. Sorry I’m such a burden.”

“No! You’re not, you’re not, Seungcheol-ah. You’re not. Let me take care of you alright?” Jeonghan stretched awkwardly to press a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “I love you and I’m your partner. This is in the job description honey.”

Seungcheol coloured and gripped his hand tighter. “Okay. Okay. I hate being sick.”

“I know, you’re healing now though so you won’t be soon,” Jeonghan draped a blanket over him and leaned back, picking up the remote to flick through the TV. “Sleep and heal some more, I’ll wake you up when it’s time to go up to bed alright? I’m right here.”


	16. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wants Shopping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2n35sRiCPfbZgSEniSAUNX?si=9jjEjKycRVaCFsGNnv-VIQ)

Jeonghan stepped off the bus and turned up the volume of his music, his coat whipping behind him in the cutting February wind. He hitched the strap of his bag higher on his shoulder and nosed further into his scarf. Ever since he’d come out as gay to his family, years ago now, his sister had insisted that they go shopping every three months, it was amusingly stereotypical but by this stage it was their sibling time. Technically they went shopping, but it was a day or sometimes a full weekend of dedicated one-on-one time with each other. After she graduated from university, he’d brought her to Tokyo for a weekend. They hadn’t bought much, just tried on everything and taken 17 million photos, but they had made so many memories.

“Oppa!”

Jeonghan turned, smiling and just caught her as she ran up to him, squeezing each other tight. He’d missed her, and she smelt the same as she always did. It was unbelievably reassuring. 

“How are you?” Jeonghee asked, looping her arm through his and steering them towards their usual café. 

“Tired. Mainly tired. Seungcheol-ah only got the all clear last week and work has been, work is always intense. I’ve been waiting for this for ages! I have a small list—”

“I love it when you have a list!”

“You’re maybe going to have to lead me on most of it.”

“That’s alright. I have a small list too, and big news.” Jeonghee bounced and Jeonghan darted a look at her, she was beaming, good news then.

“Okay~ How are you? Any small news?”

“Not really, the usual; work Cheng Ru Eomma work Cheng Ru Eomma Appa work…” they both laughed. 

“Hi, I made a reservation under Yoon? For two?” Jeonghan asked the maitre d’, pulling his gloves off and folding them into his pocket and ushering Jeonghee ahead of him after the waiter.

“Here you are, the daily specials are on the menus, take your time.”

After their food arrived, Jeonghee looked at him, her face bright and brilliant, “Oppa, I’m pregnant.”

Jeonghan, who had been casually taking a sip of water, nearly choked. He managed to swallow it and started at her, “You’re serious? You’re serious! Congratulations! Oh I’m so happy for you!! How far along are you? Have you told our parents?”

Jeonghee couldn’t stop smiling. “You’re the first to know apart from Cheng Ru-ya, I’m telling appa and eomma tomorrow, they’re coming to dinner. 13 weeks. Ahhhh I’m so excited!! We went for a scan last week and everything’s fine, we’re not going to ask about the sex, but I have a picture, do you want to—”

“Of course I want to see! Jeonghee I’m so happy for you!!”

Their conversation continued in that vein for a while, before Jeonghee cocked her head and looked at Jeonghan with assessing eyes, “Oppa, are you growing your hair out?”

Jeonghan looked up from his dessert, “Em—”

“It’s really nice, I missed it when you cut it short. You look a lot softer, and it really suits your face. How long were you thinking of growing it?” Jeonghee’s smile softened her words and Jeognhan relaxed.

“Oh, I don’t know. Long. But not too long? It’s kind of tied into what I want to shop for?” Jeonghan was tentative and Jeonghee reached out to pat his hand.

“Oppa, when have I ever been judgemental? Stop thinking and just tell me.”

“You remember when we were little? How I’d steal some of your things and wear them or borrow Eomma’s hair grips or lip gloss? And how I did a lot of that in college but then stopped. Cut my hair tight and wore exclusively shirts and suits and jeans like all my other colleagues in the agency I started with?”

“Of course I do,” Jeonghee propped her chin on her hand, “And I remember how miserable you were when Eomma dragged you to the hairdressers and when you thought you had to leave all your flares with your college life.”

Jeonghan nodded sharply, “Well, now, people don’t care when I wear mascara or lip gloss. I like my hair long, it makes me more confident, more comfortable, and Cheollie says he doesn’t care how I look, it won’t change how he loves me. So, I think I want to—” Jeonghan sipped his drink, “experiment more?”

“Okay. How can I help?”

“That’s it? No questions?”

Jeonghee shrugged, “You’ve always been different Oppa, I’m not exactly surprised, nor do I care. If it makes you more comfortable then why would I care? It is still Oppa right? You don’t want Unnie or anything? That’s okay too, but I might mess up for a bit—”

“No no, Oppa is fine.”

“Right. So, what’s on your shopping list?”

  
  


By the time they left the last shop, Jeonghan’s wallet was aching and so were his shoulders. But there was one last thing he wanted to buy. He steered Jeonghee, despite her protests, “Oppa, I’m pregnant I want to sit down”, into a tiny baby boutique and she sat down gratefully on the couch.

“Oppa?”

“Just wait a second,” Jeonghan hushed her and turned to have a quiet conversation with the shop assistant, before she disappeared and brought out a box full of crepe paper and presented it to the two of them.

“Oh—” Jeonghee breathed out. In the box was a tiny white christening hanbok. “Oppa, you can’t—”

“Literally my job description. Every time I walk by here I look at it, it’s gorgeous. And I’m getting it for this tiny bean. On the condition that I’m godfather.”

“Of course, anything you want, Oppa. This is perfect, thank you so much.” Jeonghee couldn’t take her eyes off the tiny outfit and Jeonghan wrapped his arm around her and squeezed tight. This baby would be loved.

  
  
  


“So what did you buy?” Seungcheol asked, peering over his phone as Jeonghan walked into the bedroom with an armful of bags.

“Way too much.”

Seungcheol put the phone down, “Come on, show off your purchases—” Jeonghan cut him off with a heavy kiss and Seungcheol kissed him back, rubbing at his shoulder. “What brought this on, baby?” The endearment was new, Jeonghan raised an eyebrow before nodding. It … worked.

“My sister is pregnant.” Jeonghan muttered, dropping his head to rest on Seungcheol’s shoulder.

“Oh that’s amazing!! When is she due?”

“August some time? She’s glowing,” Jeonghan gripped Seungcheol’s hand tightly. “I’m so happy for her! She gave me a copy of the scan, it’s in my bag, I’ll show you later.”

They’d never officially talked about kids. They weren’t on the top of either of their lists, and since it wouldn’t just happen, it could wait. Ideally they’d adopt, but the laws hadn’t quite advanced that far just yet. But judging by Jeonghan’s reaction, maybe they should talk about it sooner rather than later. Seungcheol wrapped his arm around him .

“Come on, show me what you bought,” Seungcheol kissed Jeonghan’s forehead and pushed him up, “Don’t tell me how much you spent, your face says enough, come on I want to see!!”

Jeonghan grumbled through the first two tops, but by the third he was chattering about what he could wear them with and how they ‘really aren’t too obviously feminine, Cheol-ah, but they’re so pretty’, and shoving a smaller bag into the back of the wardrobe with a blush and bringing another into the bathroom.

“Jeonghee-ya convinced me into buying some more make up, so … well. She was especially hard to say no to today. That was about 70% of the issue.” he called back out and Seungcheol laughed.

“But you’re happy?”

“Yes! I got everything off my list. How was your day?” Jeonghan kneeled onto the bed beside Seungcheol.

“It was interesting. Wonwoo-ya rang. Remember him? From uni?” Jeonghan nodded. “Well he rang out of the blue just after you left, and we were chatting for a while. He’s moving up to Seoul for work and he wanted to know if we could grab a beer or do dinner or something. We’re meeting in two weeks, he moves up next weekend and I don’t think he really knows anybody else up here.”

“Oh right? That’s mad, it’s been years since you’ve seen him right?”

“Yeah, just after graduation, we lost touch. But it’ll be nice to catch up even if it goes no further than dinner once you know?” Seungcheol wrapped his arm around Jeonghan.

“Mm,” Jeonghan nodded, snuggling closer to him, “say hello for me.”

“Of course. Why don’t you have a nap, it’s a while before dinner yet. I’ll wake you up. You sound exhausted.” Seungcheol squeezed him tight and kissed his hair and Jeonghan hummed, closing his eyes.

“Just a little one.”


	17. Red Red Wine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Night Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1oMjUr82d7YGJdyGRlMLyv?si=4ARIr5fxRjGwEC0-RPpCDw)

“Diamond PR, Yoon Jeonghan speaking.”

“Jeonghan-ah?”

“Oh, Seungcheol! Hi! Is everything alright?”

“I couldn’t get you on your mobile—”

“Oh,” Seungcheol could hear Jeonghan ruffling papers, “I think I left it in the car.”

“It’s ok. I’m just calling to say I’m going to have to cancel our plans tonight,” Seungcheol leaned back against the wall outside his studio,  _ his studio, _ those words felt nice, “the artist had a brainwave and their album finishes recording tonight.”

“Ah shit. Okay, no worries, thanks for letting me know. I might ring Shua and ask him if he’s up for a night out. Do you want dinner?”

“No, it’s fine, we’ll order in. Yeah, go for it, give him my best. See you tomorrow then. I’ve got to get back-”

“Yeah, of course. Okay. I’ll ring later. See you when I see you, don’t work too hard, honey!”

Seungcheol smiled, walking back inside, “Love you.”

“Love you too.”

Seungcheol slipped the phone into his pocket and stepped back into the studio. Yuna turned to him, coffee in her hand.

“Coffee?”

“Yes please. Where’s the artist?”

“Bathroom. What’s the plan, boss?” Yuna handed him the coffee cup and took a seat on the spindly chair.

Seungcheol took a deep sip and smiled, “This is good, thanks. Right. Get them into the booth and record a rough first draft, back in here, listen to it and then make a plan for the proper recording, what instruments when etc and on what parts. Vocal parts too, but instrumentation first. Why would we do that?”

“It’s best to have a base and build on it instead of having a top line and having to fill it in?” 

“Exactly. Now, of course the artist could come in and say that they want to record the vocals first, and then we’d have to go with it. But ideally, at least the melody on the main instrument first.”

Yuna nodded and then they both looked up as the door to both the studio and the recording booth opened.

“Seungcheol-ssi, we’re ready now?” The lead guitarist of the trio, Dabin, twisted around the door. “We were thinking I’ll run through the new melody on guitar and then we’ll do a dry run of what we want all together?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Seungcheol sat down and switched everything on. He pressed down the intercom, “Ready when you are.”

It was 9 pm and they had just ordered food. Seungcheol’s phone rang, Jeonghan’s face flashing across the screen and he stepped out to take it.

“Hey, we just ordered food. How’re you?”

“Double checking you don’t need anything before we go out!”

“I’m all good, which club are you off to?”

“Whirl I think,” there was a murmur of off phone conversation and then a decisive, “Yes, Whirl. Joshua’s going to stay over, heads up!”

“Yeah no bother, tell him hi!” There was a shouted ‘Hi Cheol-ah, don’t work too hard!’ and Seungcheol smiled, “Have a good time! Don’t they have that new DJ?”

“Yeah, Seokminnie said they were half decent, DJ Kyeom or something? I’ll report back!”

“Ok, right I better get back Hannie, have a good night, see you tomorrow!!”

Back in the studio, food had arrived, and the artists were listening to their latest recording and nodding. Yuna was taking notes between bites of her meal and Seungcheol sat down with a sigh, grabbing a carton with a “What did I miss?”

“We’re going to have to redo the drums, they’re out of time and there are like four wrong notes. Other than that we’re good to go straight to the vocal sections…”

  
  


By the time Seungcheol got home, it was 3 am and he was ready to drop. He grabbed a glass of water from the kitchen and made his way up the stairs slowly, stopping every few steps to lean against the wall for a few seconds. He cracked open the door to their bedroom and went straight into the bathroom, closing the door over and turning on the lights. He looked terrible. 

Padding out of the bathroom he squinted at the bed. There was a lump in the middle of the covers and a tuft of red hair sticking out on Jeonghan’s side.

Was that Joshua? They must have fallen asleep chatting, wouldn’t be the first time. Seungcheol yawned and went around to get his pyjamas, the guest room for him then. He put his water down on his bedside table and tried to extract his pyjamas from under the pillow under Jeonghan’s head without waking him up.

He had the pyjamas mostly out before Jeonghan turned his face towards him, with a mumbled, “sheol?” Damn it, so close.

“Yeah, it’s me. Have a good time?”

Jeonghan nodded, uncurling from Joshua and opening his eyes the slightest bit to look up at Seungcheol, “s’uji got upset, left early.” Jeonghan explained, ending in a yawn and Seungcheol just smiled at him.

“It’s fine don’t worry, I’ll just take the guest room okay?”

“But?”

“I’ll see you in the morning love, that bed’s not big enough for the tree of us,” Seungcheol murmured back, leaning down cup Jeonghan’s chin, kissing him slowly, tasting some soju under the toothpaste, “don’t worry. Go back to sleep.”

“Love you.” Jeonghan managed, blinking at him, and when Seungcheol smiled back, Jeonghan turned back and nuzzled into Joshua’s neck. Seungcheol smiled to himself, they were like kittens.

In the guest room, there was a small overnight bag, presumably belonging to Joshua, and a neatly folded pile of clothes. Seungcheol huffed a laugh and changed quickly, falling asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

  
  


“-hey, hey, Honey?” 

Seungcheol opened his eyes very slowly.

“Do you want breakfast? Shua is making waffles, he brought his iron and cream and berries over last night.” Jeonghan was kneeling beside the bed, dressing gown floating around his knees.

“Yeah, sure, give me five minutes to wake up more?” Seungcheol closed his eyes again and Jeonghan laughed, patting his shoulder and standing up.

“Okay, come down whenever.”

Feeling like someone had rolled over him with a train which was unfair, he hadn’t even been drinking, Seungcheol made his way into the kitchen. Joshua had stolen a robe and slippers and they were both already eating, a plate set for Seungcheol with two waffles piled high with cream and strawberries and raspberries.

“There’s coffee in the pot.” Jeonghan greeted and Seungcheol nodded, pouring and sipping and sitting down before opening his eyes properly.

“This looks fab, Shua-ya, thanks.”

Joshua just smiled back around a mouthful of food and Seungcheol dug in, it tasted as good as it looked.

“How was Whirl?”

“Not too bad, the DJ was decent and it wasn’t too crowded for a Friday night. Ran into a load of people from work and college and a handful of exes, you know, the usual,” Jeonghan sighed into his tea and Seungcheol laughed. Every single time.

“Anyone interesting?”

Joshua smirked at him, “Oh yes. Minki, Minhyun, and get this, Chae Hyungwon-” Seungcheol gasped and Jeonghan dropped his head into his hands, “-with Lee Hoseok.” Joshua looked like the cat that got the cream and Seungcheol just stared at him.

“Are they a couple? Give me the gossip, please please please,” Seungcheol begged and Joshua laughed.

“Well they certainly looked it—”

“I knew it! They were all over each other in college—”

“When they weren’t all over one of us,” Jeonghan laughed weakly, “why do we run into these people all the time?”

Joshua rolled his eyes at Seungcheol, “Anyway! Yes. They were definitely together last night, I saw more of Hyungwon than I saw when we dated so…” Joshua sipped his coffee.

“We’ll have to go back, if that’s just from one night,” Seungcheol cackled and then dragged a hand over his face, “I need more sleep.”

“Oh yeah, did you get the album finished?”

“Your first album as Choi Productions! We still have to do something to celebrate!” Joshua leaned over to cup his cheek and Seungcheol smiled. It was pretty amazing, owing his own studio at 27, and having a handful of loyal artists? Beyond astonishing. 

“I have honestly no clue. We finished at 2.45 am, so I assume so? I don’t fully remember anything after 1, I’ll have to go in later to make sure we actually did finish it, after a nap.”

“Go in and lie down on the couch, the sun is nice and warm, I’ll clean up here,” Jeonghan stood collecting their plates, “no, don’t get up, Shua, it’s fine.”

“Ah no, I promised Eunseo-noona I’d help her move apartments today,” Joshua said, standing and stretching, “I’d better get a move on.”

Seungcheol turned from his way into the living room, “Oh give her our best!” 

“Of course. You’re invited to her house warming right? Next weekend?”

Jeonghan turned from the sink, “Yeah! We got her a carpet thing for her hall. Do you want a lift?”

Seungcheol leaned over the back of the couch to look at the two of them and Joshua coloured.

“Nope. I’m. I’ll. I’ll make my own way.”

Jeonghan smirked at him and raised an eyebrow, “Okay then. Go on, I’ll clean up here.”

Joshua vanished up the stairs and Jeonghan looked at Seungcheol with both eyebrows raised, “Shua and Eunseo-noona?!”

“No. I can’t see it.”

“Neither can I. Interesting.”

“Monitor that!” Seungcheol clicked his fingers with a laugh and turned back, flicking on the TV and dragging the blanket down on top of him.

Jeonghan stacked the plates with a contemplative hum, “I will. I will.”


	18. Overture

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family Visits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Playlist (lol it's one song)](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3wKCKCUuvXaCgJu9FH4EIM?si=QZ4DEpjDT4aZaPg4UpobIw)

Jeonghan’s family were coming up to Seoul and he was—

“Seungcheol-ah? Where is my tie? Why is it not on my tie rack? And have you seen that vase that Eomma sent me for my graduation? I can’t find it. Did you fill the tank when you went shopping yesterday? Maybe we should take my car instead?” Jeonghan shouted up to him as he took the stairs two at a time. “Why am I growing my hair out? Appa won’t like it, why did you let me do this?”

Seungcheol reached out for him slowly as Jeonghan hurricaned through the bedroom, “Jeonghan-ah. Jeonghan-ah, come here.”

“We’re going to be late!” Jeonghan danced backwards out of his range and Seungcheol sighed and walked forwards, backing Jeonghan up against the mirror. 

“Jeonghan-ah. Stop. Breathe. It’s going to be fine. We’ve left two hours to get there and it’s a 15 minute drive. You need to take a few breaths.”

Jeonghan looked up at him, Seungcheol had his shoes on already, his eyes wide and scared. Seungcheol slipped an arm behind his back and tugged him gently into an embrace, humming softly until Jeonghan relaxed into him, breathing.

“You look really good, your hair is lovely, and you wanted this, remember? You wanted the length, wanted the comfort, the power, the prettiness. It’s about more than your hair, it’s about you being comfortable in your skin. Your Appa didn’t mind it in college, and he’s not going to say anything. You’re not wearing a tie. I hid them all cause it’s your parents, sweetheart, not your bosses. They don’t like it when you go all formal on them and you end up uncomfortable. It’s going to be fine.”

It’s not that Jeonghan’s parents were cruel or difficult, they just weren’t in love with the idea that Jeonghan was in love with a man. They loved him in spite of it all, and they got on well enough with Seungcheol. In the slightly detached way some people did when they didn’t like one of the things in front of them, they mostly elected to treat them as best friends.

“We left the vase in a moving truck on purpose. You hated it. And it’s a good excuse, lost in the move is understandable,” Seungcheol chuckled into Jeonghan’s ear and Jeonghan just huffed. The fight had drained out of him. Seungcheol had had 7 years of practice at this particular art after all.

By the time they arrived at the restaurant, Jeonghan had worked himself back up again into a near sweat. He was sitting quietly in the passenger seat, staring out the window, and Seungcheol could practically hear his brain wiring.

“It’s going to be alright, love.”

“I know, I’m just doing the overthinking thing.”

  
  


“Jeonghannie!!” Jeonghan’s mother stood up and folded her son into a tight embrace, “It’s been too long! You should have visited us over the holidays!” She pulled back and held him at an arm’s length, looking him up and down, tutting, “You’re getting thin again, do you eat properly?”

“Of course I do Eomma,” Jeonghan responded quietly, “And I’m sorry about that, we were sick and I didn’t want to give you—”

“I know son, I know. Let a mother tease. Your hair looks good, I like this length on you. Isn’t it pretty Hanbin-ah?” she turned expectantly to her husband who grinned and nodded.

“It suits you very well Jeonghan-ah.” Jeonghan moved to hug his father and Hyejeong turned to Seungcheol with a smaller smile.

“You look well Seungcheol-ah.”

“Thank you, you do too Hyejeong-nim.” Seungcheol smiled back and she tutted.

“Eomeonim will do Seungcheol-ah, you’ve been with Jeonghannie for over 7 years now. Drop that nonsense.”

Seungcheol was a little gobsmacked. But he smiled and took it in his stride, “Eomeonim then.”

Dinner was surprisingly not as tense and awkward as it normally was, with Jeonghan’s father extending the same courtesy as his mother to both of their astonishment and pleasure. There were none of the usual snubs to their lifestyle or any of the subtle suggestions that they should really stop playing and start thinking about their futures.

Clearly they weren’t as good as they thought they were at hiding their shock, because just as dessert arrived, Yeona put her napkin down and crossed her arms. 

“Boys. We’d like to—” she looked at her husband, “apologise for our actions in the past. Jeonghan-ah, we love you, and we don’t want to lose you. So if Seungcheol-ah is who you’ve chosen to love and share your life with, then—”

Jeonghan grabbed Seungcheol hand tightly. “Eomma?”

“Don’t cry angel, your sister was pretty clear when she yelled at us for about three weeks that we were idiots and hurting you both. We let society get in the way of our hearts.”

“Appa?”

“We love you.” Hanbin shrugged, “Let’s move forward.”

After a brief dispute over who would pay, they went their separate ways. Jeonghan and Seungcheol sat in the car with poleaxed expressions on their faces.

“What just happened?”

“I have no idea.”

Too confused to go home, they ended up at the river, walking in silence.

“Did that really just happen?” Jeonghan whispered, and Seungcheol turned sharply, were those tears? “Did eomma just, apologise? Accept? Me? Us? You? I can’t believe she just, it took her seven years and me missing all the holiday celebrations and moving in with you for her to say what? Fuck it I miss him?”

Seungcheol squeezed his hand.

“And Jeonghee did what? Argue with them? I don’t understand Seungcheol.” Jeonghan turned and Seungcheol just hummed, wrapping his arm around him.

“People are hard to understand. But it’s good right? They love you and they’re prepared to accept you in exchange for keeping you.”

“I know, I’m happy, I’m just—” He pulled away, frustrated. “If they could do it now why not before? What makes today different then when I first came out?”

In reality, lots of things. There were a lot more publicly gay celebrities, and more gay TV characters, international politicians were gay and there were activists in every country. It was less of a scary idea now than it was even just 4 years ago. They both knew that. But emotions aren’t rational.

“Of course I’m happy. Of course I am?” Jeonghan sounded lost and Seungcheol wrapped his arm around him, tugging him close and steered them over to a bench.

The moon was out, shining brightly down on them and Seungcheol fished a handkerchief out of his pocket, drying Jeonghan’s tears and pecking him on the forehead.

“You don’t have to understand it yet, but let’s be happy about it? You can ring Jeonghee later and demand an explanation, but I think they just got tired of not seeing you and everything being tense. They’ve always loved you and wanted the best for you, and maybe now they see that you’re happy with what you have? Hm?”

Jeonghan nodded and cuddled into him, “Maybe.”

Seungcheol just kissed his head and held him tight. Change could be good, but change could be scary.


	19. Cuz it's you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trying Something New

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6syC20vsqeqx5aVd43HmxL?si=X_2XxaI3SQafcMgA8VAuRA)
> 
> AO3 won't let me add pics, so PLEASE click on the links.
> 
> Sex warning: Starts at *

Seungcheol was oblivious.

It was brilliant. 

Jeonghan had made reservations in Minime, Seungcheol loved their tteokbokki and it was such a cosy place. They hadn’t been in over a year so when Jeonghan suggested they meet here for dinner, Seungcheol had said yes without a moment’s thought.

Parking nearby, Jeonghan took a moment to check his satchel and take a few deep breaths. It would be fine. They had been together for seven and a half years. They lived together. Seungcheol wanted a puppy. This was going to go perfectly.

> **ICE Choi Seungcheol 18:45**
> 
> I’m in at the back!
> 
> **Me 18:48**
> 
> Walking in now x

Jeonghan took a final deep breath and opened the door, weaving around the tables and couples to the back, spotting Seungcheol facing away from the door. Once he got close enough, he put a hand on one of his shoulders and leaned to kiss his other cheek.

“Hi.”

Seungcheol jumped, but turned his head to kiss Jeonghan quickly, “Hi! It’s been so long since we’ve been here, I can’t wait, their food is just so good—”

Jeonghan smiled and slipped into the seat opposite him, placing his bag between his feet and nodding along to Seungcheol’s words.

Honestly, Jeonghan couldn’t recount anything of the meal, other than it was gorgeous. Seungcheol wanted to crown the cook, and kept feeding Jeonghan every other bite, even though he had his own plate of perfectly delicious food!

They paid and stepped outside, taking deep breaths of fresh air and Jeonghan steered Seungcheol towards the car.

“Hannie?”

“Shush. Be patient.” Jeonghan looked at him out of the side of his eye before refocusing on the road. He was driving them to the top of a hill just on the outskirts of Seoul, they’d never been but everyone said it had the clearest view of the night sky. He followed the turn for the hill and Seungcheol sighed quietly.

“Ah.”

  
  


Once they’d parked, and the car had fallen silent, Seungcheol waited, patiently, and Jeonghan gathered himself.

“Seungcheol-ah.”

Seungcheol looked up at him with wide eyes but Jeonghan didn’t give him the chance to say anything.

“We’ve been together for seven and a half years, and I don’t think I’ve ever loved someone as intently as I love you. You’re my strength and my solace. Kissing you good morning is one of my favourite things to do, and every time I falter I know you’ll be there, ready to catch me and steady me. I’m not going to say you complete me, because we’re our own people, but if there is such a thing as soul mates, you’re mine.”

Seungcheol’s eyes were full of tears and Jeonghan’s hands shook.

He took a small box out of the dashboard and opened it carefully, holding it out to him. “Choi Seungcheol, will you marry me?”

Jeonghan could hear his heartbeat, he wasn’t breathing. Seungcheol was nodding, tears falling down his face and Jeonghan’s hands shook like crazy as he plucked the ring off its pillow and slid it onto Seungcheol’s finger. It fit like a glove, of course it did.

“Oh my god Jeonghannie, oh my god,” Seungcheol dived over the handbrake and wrapped his arms tightly around Jeonghan. “Oh my god oh my god oh my god.” They were both crying and Jeonghan buried his face in Seungcheol’s hair, holding him back just as tightly.

> He Said Yes!!! [pic.twitter.com/Ua7lFFTxRa](https://t.co/Ua7lFFTxRa)
> 
> — Yoon Jeonghan (@yoonjeonghanah) [November 9, 2020](https://twitter.com/RoseEnDiamant/status/1325720194233356289?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> I said yes!!! [pic.twitter.com/Ack6rClMwF](https://t.co/Ack6rClMwF)
> 
> — Choi Seungcheol (@thechoiseungcheol) [November 9, 2020](https://twitter.com/RoseEnDiamant/status/1325720199220375555?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

Seungcheol couldn’t stop touching his ring, spinning it around his finger and pressing it against his cheek in wonder. Jeonghan couldn’t hold back a smile every time he saw him do it, eyes darting between him and the road constantly. They’d taken pictures and posted on their social medias and then turned their phones off. Tonight was for them.

Once the locked the front door behind them, it was as if they were in college again, about to have sex for the first time. Jeonghan couldn’t stop giggling, alternating between kissing Seungcheol and laughing into his shoulder, until they finally reached their bedroom and Seungcheol tossed Jeonghan onto the bed and hunted carefully through his phone for the perfect songs for just engaged sex. 

“Seungcheol-ah~” Jeonghan whined from the bed, propping himself up on his elbows and trying his come hither eyes, but Seungcheol wasn’t fazed.

“Give me like five minutes. Be patient.”

Jeonghan pouted and started stripping instead, flinging each item of clothing at Seungcheol until he eventually settled on a track and turned towards him, catching Jeonghan’s shirt and putting it on the chair.

“Do you have no patience?” Seungcheol laughed, kneeling onto the bed and kissing him sweetly.

When he pulled back it was to a giggling Jeonghan, fingers tugging at his belt loops, “Nope, come on Cheol-ah, come on~ fiancé come on~”

Seungcheol tugged his fingers away, kissing them and unbuttoning Jeonghan’s trousers, Jeonghan tilting his hips up to help him and shimmying his hips to get them to slip off. “Oooo fancy lingerie, you planned this,” Seungcheol murmured approvingly, parting Jeonghan’s knees gently and bending to kiss the insides of his thighs.

“Oh course I planned this,” Jeonghan tugged at Seungcheol’s shoulders, “Come back up here fiancé,” Jeonghan tugged off his shirt and Seungcheol stared. Jeonghan blushed, “What?” The question came out with slightly more bite than he intended.

“I didn’t realise the lingerie was a matched set.” Seungcheol breathed and kissed the wrinkle out of Jeonghan’s forehead before licking at Jeonghan’s nipples through the fabric for a few seconds, to squirms, before kissing down Jeonghan’s stomach, pausing on particularly ticklish places to make Jeonghan break into streams of giggles. 

Jeonghan tugged him back up and he kissed his nose and hovered, looking at his eyes, his cheeks, the freckles on his forehead, “Hey fiancé.” Jeonghan blushed a dark red and Seungcheol laughed, darting back to kiss him again.

Jeonghan’s fingers were back in his belt loops, tugging impatiently, the other hand untucking his shirt and petting at his stomach, “Come on, get naked.”

Pulling away from Jeonghan reluctantly, Seungcheol made quick work of his clothes, throwing them behind him with terrible aim to giggles and darted kisses from Jeonghan, who was tipping into hysterics.

Seungcheol draped himself on top of him, pressing him into the mattress and planting his elbows beside his ears. “Breathe, fiancé.”

“I can’t believe we’re engaged,” Jeonghan whispered, reaching up to weave his fingers through Seungcheol’s short hair. “I love you.”

“I love you so much, love, so so much,” Seungcheol started to tear up, “I just, I can’t believe we’re engaged either.”

“I’ve had the ring for a while,” Jeonghan wiped tears from under Seungcheol’s eyes, “Maybe a few months, waiting for it to feel right.”

Seungcheol just kissed him in reply, tears running into his skin. Jeonghan held him close, kissing him back with a surety, a stability, a promise.

  
*

Seungcheol twisted Jeonghan around and pulled him back up onto his knees, “you prefer it this way.”

Jeonghan twisted and dropped back onto the sheets, looking up at Seungcheol with a pout, “But I want to see you.”

“But you always get sore this way, you’ll end up begging me to move you, like always.”

“I want to see you.”

“What if you ride me?” Seungcheol suggested and Jeonghan frowned, “Ok, no never mind, I’m sorry I suggested it, don’t get so offended. You’re going to get sore.”

“Please?”

“Okay, fine, but you have to tell me when your back starts to hurt, I swear. We can twist and look at each other the other way, you know that,” Seungcheol grumbled, but bent obligingly to kiss the pout off Jeonghan’s face, Jeonghan’s legs locking behind his back the moment he got close enough. “You really are something else,” Seungcheol muttered and Jeonghan squeezed harder, giggles rising back up and Seungcheol laughed with him. “Okay, okay, I’m not going anywhere. Promise me you’ll say once it starts to twinge.”

“Promise, now come on, I’m ready, you’re ready, please, fiancé, come on!” Jeonghan urged and released his legs from their lock, bringing them around and back towards his face.

“What _are_ you doing Jeonghan?”

“Stretching.”

Seungcheol rolled his eyes and caught Jeonghan’s ankles, bending his knees and putting his legs where they were least likely to poke him in the eyes, “Hannie, I love you, but you’re trying my patience.”

Jeonghan just giggled back at him.

Jeonghan immediately fell silent as Seungcheol eased into him, hands clutching at Seungcheol’s forearms and mouth searching for a kiss, which Seungcheol was quick to give, small pecks between murmurs of “doing so well, just like that darling, there you go.”

It was much more tender than it usually was when Jeonghan bottomed, he liked specific things, but he kept clutching at Seungcheol and kissing him and pulling him so close to him they may as well have been one person.

“Hannie,” Seungcheol whispered, pausing his movements to thumb some tears away from Jeonghan’s eyes, “You’re crying. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing! Just really really happy,” Jeonghan hiccoughed, tears pooling in his eyes and Seungcheol kissed him again, gently, like he was porcelain. Jeonghan just cried harder and Seungcheol reached for a tissue from the nightstand, dabbing at Jeonghan’s tears, but they weren’t stopping.

Seungcheol eased out of Jeonghan carefully, to predictable whines but he just shushed him, laying beside him and pulling him into a hug, “Not when you’re crying, Hannie, not when you’re crying.” Jeonghan just cried harder, his whole body shaking with sobs and Seungcheol held him tight, tugging the blanket up from the bottom of the bed when they both started to shiver, and plucking more tissues from the box.

  
  


“I’m sorry.”

“No, no, there’s no need to apologise.”

“But we have sex music and everything.”

“I have a ring and I have you. That’s enough for me.”


	20. Heaven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kisses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Rlv2cQfi3gQCUXqsPDckK?si=L02uIOF3QO2hMO-8X5x-DA)

> **Hoonie 🎤 14:56**
> 
> Safe flight!

It had been 10 hours.

Ten freaking hours and he already missed everything about Jeonghan. His voice. His hands. His kisses. Mmmm yes.

**“Cabin crew seats for landing.”**

Oh here we go.

Seungcheol was going to Hong Kong for a recording. It was highly irregular, but there was a collaboration between Woozi and a Hong Kong artist, Jackson. Woozi had asked him to come out, spend a few days and do the recording with them. Flattered, of course, Seungcheol accepted.

He was collected at the airport by a tall man with his name on a placard, “Choi Seungcheol-ssi? I’m your driver for the weekend. If you’d follow me.”

Seungcheol felt like royalty, or at least an idol, but without any of the fan pressure, it was very fun

**Brrring brring, brrring brring, brrrring brrrrrring-** “ _Jeonghan speaking._ ”

“Hi fiancé—” the novelty still hadn’t worn off, “I’m in my hotel room and let me tell you. It’s so luxurious, I feel like a prince.” Seungcheol turned around and looked at the view, “And the view, Jeonghannie, I can see the whole city, I’m on the 115th floor. Why don’t we stay in The Ritz when we travel?”

Jeonghan just laughed at him, _“Cause only idols and the wealthy have that type of money? Have you seen your studio yet? Hold on—_ ” The phone was covered and there was some yelling, a faint, 'that isn’t good enough. No. Well go fix it, or ask Gahyeon-ah!' before Jeonghan was back, “ _Go on_.”

“I can call back, if this isn’t a—” Seungcheol turned back to the bed and sat down.

_ “No, no you’re fine. Interns. You’d think they’d have picked some things up in two weeks. Your studio?” _

“Oh right. Well I got collected at the airport and brought straight here by my driver for the weekend, so I haven’t seen anything yet, but I’m being brought to the Wang residence in an hour, I imagine I’ll get the explanation then. Just thought I’d ring to check in.”

“ _Well you’re lucky you got me before I left, I’m just walking to the car now. Good luck!! Don’t be afraid to be yourself, that’s why Woozi-ssi flew you out after all. And don’t doubt yourself! You’re the youngest studio owner in Seoul! That’s gotta account for something._ ” Jeonghan’s shoes clicked on the tiles and Seungcheol smiled.

“Is it weird that I miss you already?”

_ “Aw Cheollie—” _

“I’m a sap I know. Are you going straight to your sisters?”

_ “Hold on hold on, I miss you too right? We haven’t spent proper time apart since we moved in together, it’s normal. Just don’t miss me too much!” _

“Fiancé~”

Jeonghan chuckled and a door slammed.

“Your sister?”

_ “Oh right yeah, I’m going now for dinner. I’ll probably stay over, you know how much they like wine. She’s been boasting about this particularly good wine for the last four hours so, and since she can’t taste it she wants to live through me and Cheng Ru-ah, you know.” _

Seungcheol nodded, “If it’s good get the name. Tell them I said hi!”

_ “Of course. Now, you need to get ready, and I need to go. Love you lots!” _

“Love you more~”

“Seungcheol-hyung!! How was your flight? Do you like your room?” Jihoon greeted him at the door, Jackson nowhere to be seen and Seungcheol grinned and tugged him in for a quick hug.

“It was fine, the room is amazing, is that how you always travel? I’m unbelievably jealous. How have you been? I haven’t seen you since… January? February?”

Jihoon just cackled, “Money talks Hyung, money talks. I haven’t seen you since before you got engaged!” He elbowed him as they walked down some hallways, “Let us see then.”

Seungcheol blushed and held out his hand, the simple silver ring catching in the light. Their initials were pressed into the inside of the band, and on the side of the ring that faced his palm, there was a small diamond. Jeonghan had been apologetic but thought that in their country, in their situation, it was safer for him to have a ring that wasn’t very overtly an engagement ring. 

“Jeonghan-hyung has good taste,” Jihoon eventually concluded after much oohing. “Are you getting him one? Does he have one? I didn’t see…”

“He says it’s not necessary, but I don't know. He stares at it a lot—” Seungcheol shrugged, “We’ll have wedding rings anyway. I don’t know. He had it when he proposed and I don’t want to propose back? That’s not how it works?” 

“What about something else instead?” Jihoon suggested, opening a door and ushering Seungcheol in. “Does he have his ears pierced? Or a necklace chain thing? Dog tag style?”

“Maybe. I don’t know. Anyway. Is this me?”

“There are lots of jewellery shops here Hyung, we could go, or you can go on your own?” Jihoon pushed on and Seungcheol smiled.

“Jihoon-ah, I’m not rich rich like you, I’m 100% sure that your idea of a cute shop is like a year's wages for me.”

Jihoon pouted, “I can control my spending.”

Seungcheol looked at him. Then looked down at himself. Then looked at the recording studio in someone’s house. In Hong Kong. He raised an eyebrow.

“I can! I’ll show you tomorrow, they’re not all expensive I promise.”

Seungcheol just hummed. “If we finish the song. Speaking of. Is this me?” Seungcheol gestured at the plush chair and state of the art recording suite in front of him and at the Steinway piano on the other side of the glass and was that a Fender? 

“Yep, all yours for the weekend! So, here’s what we want—” Jihoon opened up a folder with scribbles and more scribbles in two hands, and flicked through it until he hit a printed sheet. “—So it’s called These Days, and it’s a check up conversation between old friends. With emotions.” He waggled his fingers and Seungcheol shook his head.

“Emotions. Right. Okay. Let’s get started then?”

Working with well established artists who knew what they were doing was always refreshing, and they had the song recorded and approved within 48 hours. 

“You have a few hours before you need to head for your flight right?” Jihoon asked after Jackson had left for a flight of his own.

Seungcheol stepped out of the restaurant with a nod. “Yeah, the flight is at midnight. I have 3 hours before I need to be in the airport. Why?”

“I promised to bring you shopping, didn't I? You’ve hardly seen Hong Kong! Come on, let’s go. Browse at least.” Jihoon steered them down a side street in excitement and Seungcheol sighed. He severely doubted that he’d find anything that would suit both Jeonghan and his budget but what else was he going to do? Sit in his hotel room and mull?

“Okay okay okay. But reasonable prices. I’m not you, Woozi-ssi oh great famous and world renown singer-songwriter, composer, don’t you dance? And dabble in rap?” 

Jihoon bumped him, “Stop it. Let’s start here.” He opened the door to a tiny tiny shop with hardly any signs outside and a small handwritten card on the door that read ‘Jewellery.’

After the fourth shop, Seungcheol started checking his watch with a raised eyebrow and a sigh but Jihoon ignored him.

“One more. And if you find nothing there, then I’ll stop, I promise.” 

“One more. That’s it.”

Nodding, Jihoon gestured to a door. It was purple and full of pride flags and Seungcheol sighed. He hoped it wasn’t going to be tacky. He refused to buy something tacky.

Most of it was tacky.

Seungcheol picked through several trays half-heartedly, rummaging through rings and earrings and bracelets and necklaces and he was just about to give up and tell Jihoon that there was no point, it just wasn’t to be, when out of the corner of his eye he saw it.

A locket.

It was open on the counter and the owner was just about to put it back into the display case, someone had changed their mind, but Seungcheol waved him to stop. The locket was an intricately carved feather. Or maybe it was a wing. It looked a little more like a wing the longer he looked at it. An angel’s wing.

“How much is this?”

Seungcheol grinned, getting his purchase wrapped and packaged with a ribbon. It was pretty and it was functional. Sort of. It would suit Jeonghan even if it wasn’t an engagement gift. People put hair in lockets didn’t they? And pictures? It would do nicely.

“I told you!”

“You did. Thank you.”

“Safe flight, Hyung! Good luck!!”

You’d think they’d been apart for months. Jeonghan couldn’t let go of Seungcheol after he collected him from the airport, reaching over at traffic lights to hold his hand and constantly turning to look at him, to the extent that Seungcheol had to gently urge him to watch the road. 

Like always, their proper reunions had to wait until they got home, and Jeonghan pounced on him the moment they shut the door, kissing him with a ferocity that bellied how much he’d missed him.

Lying in bed later, tangled together so closely that they couldn’t tell where one ended and the other began, Jeonghan half-buried beneath Seungcheol and the blankets and blissed out, Seungcheol reached out of the bed for the package.

“Don’t move, Cheollie—"

“I’m not, I’m not. I got you something.”

“Oh?” Jeonghan perked up, “A gift?”

“An engagement gift.”

“Seungcheol-ah, you didn’t have to, you know that,” Jeonghan whispered, twisting to kiss his throat and Seungcheol nodded.

“I know. But I did anyway.” He passed him the packet and Jeonghan slipped his arms out from under him to open it properly, Seungcheol hooking his head over his shoulder and holding him close.

Untying the ribbon and opening the tissue paper, Jeonghan revealed the silver locket with a gasp. “Oh, oh—” he twisted to look at Seungcheol, eyes watering, “it’s so lovely—”

Seungcheol pressed his smile to Jeonghan’s shoulder.

“Oh it’s a locket, oh Cheol-ah—”

Seungcheol peppered kisses across Jeonghan’s shoulder blade, catching his fingers with one hand and tangling them together. “I thought—” kiss, “—that it would suit you—” kiss, “—and you didn’t want a ring—” kiss, “—so, it’s a locket and you can keep things in it?”

At his words, Jeonghan wriggled out from his embrace and darted into the bathroom.

“Hannie?”

“Just a sec!”

Jeonghan slipped back into the bed and tried to get back into the exact position he’d been in, grumbling until Seungcheol moved and rearranged himself to help.

“What did you do?”

Jeonghan pressed his face against Seungcheol’s neck and held the locket up.

Seungcheol opened it and was immediately greeted with the smell of his aftershave. “Hannie?”

“You’ve worn it for as long as I can remember and it’s such a visceral reminder of you—” Jeonghan cut himself to kiss him, “It reminds me of when we kiss, and of you, but mainly of how no matter what aftershave or perfume I use, your aftershave seems to always linger on my skin after we kiss. Like a hug, all the way into work in the mornings.”

Seungcheol settled the locket down onto the side table and pressed Jeonghan back into the pillows to kiss him silly again. His fiancé said the most special things.


	21. Put Your Records On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0EpR9RY1TkZKWxTGwoF75N?si=frRoadHxQ0ey3fF1R6qBaQ)

“We are not getting a pet.” Jeonghan insisted for the fifteenth time that day. Joshua had left his dog with them a few days ago for a mini break.

“I didn’t say anything!” Seungcheol laughed from the kitchen. The dog, puppy really he was 3 years old, blinked at Jeonghan, judging him and Jeonghan frowned.

Seungcheol leaned into the room, “Why do you have such a big issue with Maeum anyway? He’s never done anything to hurt you, has he?”

“No, of course not.” It’s not like he did anything  _ wrong _ apart from…  _ existing _ but that was just Jeonghan being petty. He stared at the fluffy lump in front of him.

“Okay. I have the water bottles, are you ready for our run?” Seungcheol asked, heading towards the front door. Maeum jumped up to run after him at the mention of a ‘run’ and Jeonghan finished tying his laces.

“Yeah, I’m ready. Do you have bags? And the harness?”

Seungcheol was putting Maeum’s harness on and he handed two bags to Jeonghan, “All set.”

Maeum needed lots of exercise. He was a Shiba Inu and he was making them go on so many runs. At least today was a Sunday. Their normal scheduled run. It had been hectic during the week, coming home from work only to go straight back out with the dog before dinner. On Friday, Seungcheol went for a walk with him before work, but nothing would make Jeonghan give up an extra hour of sleep. Not even two sets of puppy dog eyes. He’d rolled over and gone back to sleep.

When they reached the park, they let Maeum off his lead and he bounced away, running until he was nearly out of sight, and prompting a loud, shrieked, “Maeum!” from Jeonghan, if this dog got lost or killed Joshua would never ever ever speak to him again.

Maeum bounded back over the hill and up to them, licking at Jeonghan’s knee before running off again. Seungcheol hid a laugh.

“That dog is going to be the death of me.”

When they finished their usual track around the park, Maeum was panting and happy to be put back on his lead. He trotted beside them all the way home, and practically drowned himself in the water from his water bowl when they got back, before flopping down in his bed for a snooze.

“He’s cute,” Seungcheol was staring at him with a soft expression. “Look at his tiny little nose oh my gosh is the cutest thing ever, and his ears? How are they so fluffy?” He reached out to touch them and Jeonghan nudged his shoulder.

“You’ll wake him up. Let him sleep.”

“So you do care~”

“Sleep is important! And I know I said I wouldn’t bring work home this weekend, but I just need to do 40 minutes. I promise it won’t go over.”

Seungcheol turned, standing up off his haunches to take Jeonghan’s hands in his own. “You’re working yourself too hard.”

Jeonghan turned his head, “I’m not. I just need to finish this, I got an email earlier, my client—”

“You’re worrying me.”

“I’m fine. I swear.”

“This is the 6th weekend in a row, love-”

Jeonghan slipped his hands out of Seungcheol’s, “I’ll only be 40 minutes. And then I’m all yours.”

Seungcheol let him go, frowning. That fiancé of his. But it’s not as if he could do anything. He sighed and sat down on the couch. Maybe he’d put on that podcast that Jihoon had recommended.

After 20 minutes, Maeum sat up and stretched like a howling wolf before stepping out of his bed and doing a downward dog with a yawn. He looked around the room before trotting out and up the stairs. There was a tiny scuffle and a little whine and then a faint “Hey sweetness, what brings you up here?”

Maeum padded back down the stairs after a few minutes and looked at Seungcheol with the biggest eyes. Seungcheol looked back at him over his phone.

“What is it Maeum?”

Maeum didn’t answer, because he was a dog.

“Hm? Are you hungry?”

Maeum continued to not answer, just looked at him balefully.

“Thirsty? I think you—oh you’ve water in your bowl. Go have a drink!”

Maeum looked at him.

“Do you want to… play?”

Maeum didn’t want to play. Maeum licked Seungcheol’s shin.

“Do you want pets?”

Maeum’s ears perked up and he started to wag his tail. Seungcheol huffed in amusement and slipped off the couch onto the floor, digging his hands into Maeum’s fur and scratching until Maeum’s tongue lolled out and his tail was thumping the floor loudly.

“Who's the bestest boy? Who's a good boy? Who’s a good boy? You are! You are, you are that’s right you’re the bestest boy yes you are!! You’re so soft and fluffy, you are! You are! And so so cute, aw so fluffy,” Seungcheol cooed, leaning his head on Maeum’s fur and smiling. A warm blanket hug of a dog. Maeum licked his elbow and squirmed until Seungcheol started rubbing and scratching him again, cooing more praise into his ear and fur.

Jeonghan’s slippers squeaked on the stairs and Maeum rolled over and sprung up, trotting to the door and sitting there, all at attention.

“Hi puppy,” Jeonghan greeted before moving into the room proper and dropping down beside Seungcheol. “I’m done. I’m sorry. All yours.”

Seungcheol wrapped an arm around him in silence.

“Honey? I am sorry. What have you been doing?” Jeonghan looked at him, all wide eyes and innocence and Seungcheol sighed.

“I know you are. I just worry.”

“I’m fine honey, I promise.”

Seungcheol wasn’t sure how much he believed him, but it was  _ fine _ . Truth will out and all that. “I was trying this new podcast that Jihoon-ah recommended, Switched On Pop, they had an episode on Etham. They’re not bad, I don’t know if I agreed with everything they said, but—”

“Oh is that the one where two guys dissect pop songs?”

“Yeah, they definitely over analyse but it’s enjoyable. I was thinking we could watch that film that you wanted to see last week? The one that won the oscar? The gay one?”

“Moonlight?”

“Yeah, you recorded it didn’t you?”

“Yeah, oh yeah I did. Do you want to watch it now?” Jeonghan pushed up off him to get the remote and Seungcheol nodded. “Okay. I’ll just get a drink then. Do you want anything?”

“Is there any coke left?” Seungcheol took the remote and waited for the TV to turn on.

“No, there’s that new lemon one though? Or… beer, orange juice, rosé, milk, cider, and I think there’s a can of that non alcoholic mint cocktail we got for our Christmas thing knocking around somewhere?” Maeum padded out to the kitchen after Jeonghan, puppies always seemed to follow the person who didn’t want them to follow them.

“Mmmmm, I’ll try the lemon one. What are you having?”

“I’m gonna do a hot honey and lemon, my throat is at me a little,” the kettle started making noise and Jeonghan came over to the doorway, “Maeum-ah, don’t get in my way. Do you want anything to eat? What are we doing for dinner?”

Smirking and fiddling with the TV, Seungcheol shrugged, “Hold on a sec,” and finally found the film. “Right. Sorry what was that?”

“Nibbles? And what are we doing for dinner?”

“Oh God, I don’t know. You got those steaks yesterday didn’t you? We could have them and those fan potatoes I found on Pinterest last week? Green beans or something for veg?”

“Will you do it?” Jeonghan pleaded and Seungcheol nodded.

“Sure. Do we have any crisps?”

“Yeah, I’ll get a pack for you. Give me five.”

“Take your time, it’s ready whenever.” 

Bored of watching Jeonghan, Maeum came back into the living room and settled down beside Seungcheol’s feet, doing what Joshua always called ‘loafing’, tucking his paws under him and somehow becoming a cuboid. It was fascinating.

“Right, here you go,” Jeonghan handed Seungcheol a bowl and a glass and gingerly lowered himself onto the couch, sighing happily when he managed not to spill anything and settle back into exactly where he left.

“I’m going to need both arms, love,” Seungcheol grinned, tapping Jeonghan’s shoulder but Jeonghan just looked at him and at the tiny table placed just beside the arm of the couch.

“Hm. I don’t think you do. Go on, press play.”

By the time the credits rolled, the two of them were a mess of tears, tissues and trauma. 

“That film.”

“You picked it!”

“God Almighty.”

“I’d better get dinner started,” Seungcheol said after a while, “you stay there.” He stood up, sending Jeonghan toppling into the cushions with a muttered curse. “I didn’t realise my cushions were holding you up!”

“Yeah yeah yeah, go do dinner fiancé mine.”

Seungcheol smirked and leaned over the couch to kiss Jeonghan, spiderman style. Jeonghan smiled into the kiss and it was more a knocking of noses and smiles than a proper kiss but they were both smiling so who cares?

  
  


“Hannie? Where did you put the—” Seungcheol broke off as he took in the scene in front of him. Jeonghan was stretched out on the couch, fast asleep, hand tangled in Maeum’s fur. Maeum was curled into his side, nose at his hip, also fast asleep. Photo time.

**Seungcheol 17:46**

_ hannie&maeum.jpg  
_ And he says he doesn’t like him

**Shua 17:50**

Adorable so adorable  
I hope he’s not causing you any trouble?

**Seungcheol 18:05**

No, he’s a sweetheart. Gets us out of the house more  
Went for a run with him yesterday morning, we ran into another dog  
The cutest thing  
They just sat and stared at each other  
The cuteness levels are dangerous, but other than that he’s easy

**Shua 18:10**

Still want your own?

**Seungcheol: 18:14**

We wouldn’t be able to give it enough attention with work  
Getting a full weekend to ourselves is already hard  
Anyway. Better get back to the dinner. Hope you’re having fun!

**Shua 18:16**

Ah. I see. Eat well!

“Love? Jeonghannie-love?”

Jeonghan opened one eye slowly.

“Dinner.”

“Oh, right, yeah, sorry—” Jeonghan sat up and stretched, “I was exhausted, that film did me in, oof Maeum, hi, down now there’s a good boy.” Jeonghan nudged the dog down off the couch and stepped through to the kitchen, nonchalant as bedamned.

Seungcheol hid a smile, maybe he’d convince him on the pet topic after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Switched On Pop](https://switchedonpop.com/)


	22. my tears ricochet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Forgetting Something

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A small warning for this chapter. I'm not quite sure how to tag, but just read with care? It's quite distressing, but just remember, there are 30 chapters and they're all written. Like that moment in a film where you think 'the main character can't possibly die there's an hour left'—think like that.  
> As always I'm everywhere, come scream/shout/cry in my various inboxes, I provide virtual tissues and comforting pictures of my cat/dog depending on your need.  
> That said, enjoy!!
> 
> [Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1NZ7TN9wqKVTbvMjV6HH15?si=Y95iwUHjQR-iUz0ggCuw3Q)

Seungcheol rolled over to a cold bed. Was it that late already? He rolled back over to his side. 

_ 5.17 am _

Where was Jeonghan?

Seungcheol strained his ears for any noise but the house was completely silent. That was really weird. It was a Wednesday wasn’t it? Jeonghan didn’t have to get up for another hour, where was he?

After a few minutes, Seungcheol rolled out of bed and shrugged on his house coat. He looked in the bathroom and then padded down the stairs, getting more and more worried with every empty room. He opened the front door and stared. Jeonghan’s car was gone.

Where the hell was he?

There wasn’t a message on their notepad, he trudged back upstairs and picked up his phone. No messages there either.

He’d come to bed last night, right? Seungcheol sat down heavily on the bed, racking his brain. He’d eaten dinner alone, Jeonghan had had a business dinner, and then he’d watched TV. He was sure Jeonghan had come in as he’d gone to bed, but maybe not? Had he stayed in work all night?

Maybe he’d—

Seungcheol picked up the phone again and dialled the familiar number.

Straight to voicemail. Shit.

“Hi Jeonghan-ah, it’s me, Seungcheol. I don’t know where you are, and I’m worried. It’s 5.30 am. Please ring me back as soon as you get this. … Love you.” He hung up, and looked at the phone. His stomach was a knot of nerves and worry and fear. He wasn’t going back to bed.

Seungcheol flicked on the radio and went back downstairs, turning on the TV and the coffee pot and then leaning against the counter and listening. Surely he was fine. Maybe he’d gone back into the office and fallen asleep?

_ “—major crash on the A76 in the early hours of the morning, seven people have been rushed to hospital. If anyone was in the area and has information please ring the police on—” _

No. Surely not. Please God not. They’d just gotten engaged, they hadn’t had their wedding yet, they—

Seungcheol closed his eyes tightly against the hot press of tears, but they pushed past anyway, dripping down his cheeks. He wrapped his arms around himself tightly. He didn’t know that. It was probably not Jeonghan.

But where was he?

The coffee pot beeped it's happy tune three times before Seungcheol went over to turn it off, sobbing outright now, his mind thinking off all the—he didn’t even know if Jeonghan wanted to be buried or cremated? Did he want a religious service? What about the music? Why hadn’t they had this conversation?

_ “—and it’s just turned 6 am. Good morning for those of you who have just woken up. It’s going to be a sunny day—” _

  
  


Seungcheol poured a mug of coffee and slumped into a kitchen chair, pressing redial on his phone.

It rang and rang and rang and rang and rang and rang and—

“Hi Seungcheol-ah.” Jeonghan’s tired voice yawned across the line and Seungcheol?

Seungcheol couldn’t speak. He gasped for air, the tears suddenly stuck in his throat and his vision was blurry with them, and he—

“Seungcheol-ah? Breathe for me. Deep breaths, in and out come on, you can do it—”

“Where are you? Why didn’t you pick up? I thought, there’s a crash on the A76, Jeonghan, where are you?”

“Seungcheol-ah? Do you not remember? Jeonghee went into labour during the night. She wanted me there, here, I drove in at around 3.30.” Jeonghan’s voice was soft, fond, and Seungcheol collapsed onto the table.

“I thought, I thought you were, Hannie, I thought, I couldn’t you—”

“Hey, hey, deep breaths for me love. I didn’t and I’m not. I’m in one piece and healthy. I called off from work. You woke up a little when I was leaving, but you must have still been asleep. My phone was charging, that’s why I missed your earlier call. I was just about to call you when you rang.”

“Jeonghee? She’s okay?”

“Yeah, she’s perfect, so strong,” Seungcheol could imagine Jeonghan’s face, “she’s feeding the little one now. Seungcheol-ah, we’re uncles!!”

Seungcheol’s tears returned, for an entirely different reason.

“Aw, love don’t cry, it’s okay, they’re both healthy. We’re all safe. Everything is okay. I’m sorry for scaring you—”

“Have they named the baby yet?” Seungcheol needed a distraction.

“Yeah, only a few minutes ago, none of their ideas worked once they saw the little one. They chose Meiying, a beautiful flower.”

“That’s such a lovely name, aww Hannie!”

“I  _ know _ , my heart is bursting, I got to hold her!! She’s so so small and tiny, but she clung onto my finger so tightly! Seungcheol-ah!”

“I can’t wait to see her!” Seungcheol was excited, he was, he just also felt like he’d been run over by a bus and he really wanted to hug his fiancé.

“Soon. She’s going to be released this evening. Right, I’m going to say bye and come home, I’m exhausted.”

“Hannie, please, get a taxi.” He just couldn’t take any more worry right now. 

“Seungcheol-ah, I’ll be fine—”

“Please. Please, I can’t bear the thought of losing you, I we’re not even, there are so many things we haven’t talked about, you have a niece now, Hannie,” Seungcheol sobbed again, “Please, please, I’ll go collect it later, please don’t drive please?”

“Okay. Okay! Okay, don’t worry too much, love. Go back to bed, I’ll be home soon. I’ll text you when I get in the taxi. It’s going to be okay. I’ll see you soon. Alright?”

No, not really. Seungcheol shrugged. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Look, I’ll leave my location on. I’ll see you in a little while. I love you so much, you know that?”

Seungcheol squeezed his mug, tears still dropping down his face, “Love you too.”

  
  


The front door opened and Seungcheol closed his eyes in relief.

“Honey, I’m home!”

“Kitchen.” Seungcheol called back and there was the clunk of shoes being taken off, the clink of keys thrown into the bowl and then finally, Jeonghan appeared around the door.

“Hey, oh honey.” Jeonghan took him in and Seungcheol just started sobbing again, this was starting to get ridiculous.

Jeonghan just tugged him into the living room and down onto the couch, wrapping him up in the tightest hug and carding fingers through his hair over and over and over. The repetitive motion eventually got through to his breathing and Seungcheol just breathed in the hospital scent of him.

“I should have texted you when I arrived. And left a note in the kitchen. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to cause you so much distress.”

Seungcheol nodded, he should have.

“Do you want to ring your work? We can go back to bed? Have a lazy day?” Jeonghan asked, gently scritching Seungcheol’s scalp and pressing kisses to his crown.

“Yeah, we’re not doing anything today anyway, just sorting sound files. I, my head is in no space to do that Jeonghan-ah, we have to talk about funeral arrangements, I realised that I have no idea what you want, we’ve never talked about it? Can we do that?” Seungcheol pushed himself up off Jeonghan’s chest to look at him, and Jeonghan nodded.

“Sure. But sleeping first. We’ll do it after lunch. Come on, up to bed, send that text and let’s go sleep. I’m sorry I worried you so much, I really am.”

“If you have pictures of Meiying, I’ll think about forgiving you.”

“What do you take me for?” Jeonghan said as they climbed the stairs, and once they reached the bedroom, changed back into pyjamas and texts had been sent to work, he pulled out his phone and opened the gallery. 

There were at least 25 photos of the tiny baby girl, all wrapped up in a purple blanket with a tiny green hat, ‘like a little blackberry”, and later; in her mother’s arms, Jeonghee smiling tiredly at the camera, and the baby tucked against her chest, and a few of Cheng Ru holding her, one of the three of them.

“None of you?”

“On Cheng Ru’s phone. I’ll get them later.”

Jeonghan eventually put the phone down and turned back to Seungcheol with an apologetic expression, “I really am sorry love, I didn’t think.”

Seungcheol snuggled himself into Jeonghan’s arms, wrapped up way too tightly to sleep like that, but he pressed his head against Jeonghan’s heart and wrapped himself in the smell of him and closed his eyes. “‘s okay, just, don’t do it again.”

“I won’t,” Jeonghan squeezed him tight and kissed his hair, “I won’t.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Baby naming rights go to [@yukiminkim](https://twitter.com/yukiminkim) THANK YOU!  
> A house coat is a warm fluffy dressing gown/robe.


	23. Lie Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Picnics

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1gzXcUy0DigWJ76YyzWvT9?si=6I2oykg7TsqCOBi54wvQAA)

It was an ‘Indian Summer’, and the weather was spectacular. So spectacular in fact, that Jeonghan had taken a half day off work and was planning on surprising Seungcheol with a picnic and a drive to the river.

“Enjoy yourself Jeonghan-ah!” Gahyeon called from her desk and Jeonghan waved back at her.

“If you need to call me-”

“We’re good honestly, it’s a slow day.”

“Yeah I know. Anyway, if that reporter gets back on, send me a text please? Or if Mingyu-ssi—”

“Just go Jeonghan-ah, go!” 

Jeonghan laughed, swinging the door behind him and checking his phone. All good, he had an hour before Seungcheol’s lunch break started. Right, time to drive.

  
  
  


“Hey Yuna-ya, is my fiancé around?” Jeonghan asked, leaning his hip against the front desk and she shrugged.

“He should be. You can take a seat if you want,” Yuna motioned towards the chairs and disappeared down the corridor. Jeonghan stayed standing, scrolling through his phone and running a finger under his lashes, freeing a stuck lash and flicking it away.

“Hannie? Did we have plans?” Seungcheol asked, coming up the corridor and caught his elbow, leaning in to kiss his cheek.

Jeonghan smiled, “No, I thought I’d surprise you. It’s such a nice day and Yuna-ya said you weren’t too busy? I brought a picnic, I thought we could go down to the river?” 

Seungcheol’s face broke out into a smile, his eyes lighting up. “That—that honestly sounds amazing. Let me just close everything down and I’m all yours. Give me two secs?”

“Sure! Take your time—” Jeonghan was interrupted by a darted kiss to his cheek before Seungcheol hurried down the hallway to grab his things.

“You two are cute,” Yuna smiled at Jeonghan, and he realised he was gazing down the hallway fondly and he shook himself.

“Oh, thanks—”

“He talks about you constantly, it’s really sweet. On that point, how is your new artist? How was their debut?”

“Oh, the band? Really well! They didn’t get any awards or trophies, but they have a solid fanbase and they peaked on the charts for a day or two. Hold on let me play it for you,” Jeonghan flicked through his phone and quickly had their YouTube video up.

The video had just ended and Yuna was complementing it, when Seungcheol strolled through the door with his satchel over his shoulder. “Yuna-ya, I’m taking the rest of the day. You can go home once you finish that write up alright?”

“Yeah, no worries. See you tomorrow, enjoy your picnic!”

Jeonghan offered her a smile before turning to where Seungcheol was waiting, arm slightly out and his bag hitched up on his shoulder. “Ready?”

“Sure,” Seungcheol put his hand on the small of his back, “Where did you park?”

“Right here. I’m driving.”

  
  


When they arrived at the river, Jeonghan heaved a picnic basket out of the boot, waving off Seungcheol’s offers to carry it with a look, and heading for a flowery spot in the sun.

“I didn’t realise you actually made up a proper picnic,” Seungcheol said in awe as Jeonghan took out the gingham blanket and shook it out, the two of them weighing it down with their shoes on each corner.

“Well, we have the basket, I don’t even know where we got it, so I just—Anyway,” Joenghan started to unpack it, taking out plates and plastic glasses and little tubs of fruits and nuts and crisps and hummus, carrot sticks, celery sticks, a box of sandwiches, a handful of flasks and a pile of napkins. “Come on, sit, it’s not going to eat itself!”

Seungcheol kneeled down quickly, “This looks amazing, is there an occasion or something I forgot? You really went all out, love.”

“What?” Jeonghan paused with a sandwich halfway to his mouth, before shaking his head with a laugh, “No, not at all, just it’s such a nice day, and the weekend is supposed to be raining and we both had semi slow work days. It doesn’t have to be an occasion?”

“Of course not. It’s sweet,” Seungcheol started piling various bits onto his plate, “let’s not talk about work. Have you heard from Jeonghee-ya this week? How’s our niece?”

Jeonghan lit up, swallowing his bite quickly and pulling out his phone, “She is so cute. I know I’m biased but honestly, find me a cuter baby. Look at her in her tiny blue dress, isn’t she just the most adorable thing you’ve ever seen?”

“Her tiny little curls too, babies are too cute!!”

“Look at this one, she smiled!!”

The two of them cooed over that week’s glut of photos of Meiying before Jeonghan flicked onto a photo of Joshua. And promptly turned off the screen.

“Can we pretend you didn’t see that?”

Seungcheol raised an eyebrow at Jeonghan over his glass, “See what?”

“It’s just, he couldn’t decide whether to buy it- oh, yes. Nothing, no picture, not at all,” Jeonghan threw his phone into his bag and poured himself a glass of the sparkling elderflower cordial. “Have you heard from Jihoon-ah recently?”

“Bits here and there, he’s either in some big hush hush relationship or there’s something going on with his company. I haven’t figured it out yet, he keeps saying it’s an in-person talk, and well. He’s super busy, hell I’m super busy right now. Why is it that everyone wants stuff out in September and October again?”

“Back-to-school market. But no work talk, remember?”

“Yeah, yeah. Oh, Vernon got on to me about the timing for their graduation. It’s noon on Saturday, but the reception is around 5pm. They only have two tickets each and our parents are going—”

“Of course! We’ll meet them at the restaurant? Or is it a hall thing on campus?” Jeonghan leaned back to grab his phone and open the calendar app.

Seungcheol sighed and ate a strawberry. “If I knew that. That brother of mine, I swear to God. I presume it’s on campus. But honestly I haven’t the foggiest. Jeonghan-ah? I wanted to ask—”

Jeonghan’s phone started to ring and he looked down, “I’m sorry Cheol-ah, I have to take this, it’s work.” He kneeled up, patting Seungcheol’s hand and stepped away to take it. “Hi Gahyeon-ah. Oh?—”

Seungcheol took a deep breath. He didn’t mean anything by it. He was just busy. It was fine. He could wait. It was sweet of Jeonghan to spring this picnic on him, but honestly, he’d prefer if he just had a few hours of interrupted one on one time with his fiancé, no work, no commitments, just the two of them and chat or silence, he didn’t really care. This whole picnic had been stilted. And now, this. Seungcheol looked up and over to where Jeonghan was talking animatedly on the phone to his colleague. 

He actually thought Joshua saw more of Jeonghan than he did, and they lived together, ate together and slept together. Jeonghan and Joshua had a bi-weekly Sunday Brunch that tended to last for hours, with a strict no phones at the table policy. Seungcheol wasn’t jealous. Just, mildly annoyed. Quality not quantity and all that.

“I’m really sorry Cheol-ah, just I’ve been waiting for that reporter all week. Right, what were you about to say?” Jeonghan kneeled back down and picked up the carrot sticks.

“Our wedding. I want to start planning it.”

Jeonghan stared at him, “But—”

“I don’t care that it’s not legal, I want a ceremony with our families and friends and a cake and presents. There are humanist ministers who’ll perform it, I’ve been doing some research,” Seungcheol reached out for Jeonghan’s hand. “I love being engaged, but I want to be married.”

“Oh, oh. Oh okay. I mean sure, of course, yes I want to be married, I just, of course. Winter or spring?” Jeonghan gripped his hand tightly, carrots forgotten.

“Did you forget what came after engagements, love?” Seungcheol bit back a smile and tugged Jeonghan closer until he was leaning against his side. He felt more than saw his huff and shrug.

“No? But I thought maybe a year and a day?”

“We can still do that, it would be cute, that’s what you wanted for a wedding right? A handfasting type ceremony?”

Jeonghan nodded, “We can still have a humanist wedding, just it’s something to add to it?” 

“It’ll make it special and ours,” Seungcheol pressed a kiss to Jeonghan’s shoulder. “May then. What about where? I had a thought about seeing if we could have it on the mountain where you proposed? Outdoors and green? It just appeals to me, something spiritual about it, you know?”

Jeonghan turned to kiss him, pleased that they’d chosen a mostly hidden part of the riverside. “Yes. That’s so pretty, yes that sounds fab—”

“Are you crying, sweetheart?” 

Jeonghan shook his head, pressing his face against Seungcheol’s shirt. “No.”

Seungcheol rubbed his back, “Can’t wait to call you husband, fiancé.”

Jeonghan’s shoulders shook and he interlaced his fingers with Seungcheol’s, twisting the ring on his finger round and round. “Me neither, fiancé. Me neither.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (an Indian summer is an Irish term for an unseasonably warm autumn!!)


	24. Skinny Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An Argument

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2m7EglzgCaDls7rGbqb7Ll?si=9ZWD21ZHQT6zxjpDrCioGA)

It was 8.30 pm and Seungcheol was sitting on the couch, ostensibly listening to a new release, responding to texts and finalising plans to meet up with Wonwoo that weekend.

Jeonghan was late. 

Again.

Seungcheol tried to keep his concentration on the music and his phone but he kept looking over to the window, even though it was too dark to see outside. Eventually the front door opened slowly and Seungcheol heard the rustle of fabric and the thud of a bag on the floor, before Jeonghan padded down the hallway, into the kitchen without so much as a hello.

Seungcheol rubbed his forehead, calling out a tired “Hi Jeonghan-ah.” 

There was silence and then Jeonghan backtracked into the living room, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I know I said I’d try to be home early today, I’m sorry—”

“Save it,” Seungcheol sighed and Jeonghan winced. “There’s dinner for you on the counter, go eat.” On top of spending most of his time in the office these days, he was losing weight. Seungcheol was worried, normally they could, and did, spend a lot of their time in comfortable silence. Sure, they talked, they talked a lot, but they didn’t have an issue with sitting quietly and just being. Or walking hand in hand and saying nothing. But lately? Nearly every silence had been hurriedly filled, and those that were left had been awkward. 

“Thank you.” Jeonghan said, before opening his mouth to say something else but closed it, going into the kitchen. The microwave turned on and off, he ate his dinner there. Seungcheol leaned forwards and put his phone on the table, dropping his head into his hands. He really didn’t like fighting, but this couldn’t go on any longer.

“Seungcheol-ah,” Jeonghan sat down on the other end of the couch, knees together, “I really am sorry—”

“No. Jeonghan-ah, I don’t think you are,” Seungcheol turned to him and tried to keep his voice level, “You’re constantly working overtime, working weekends, working during days off, and when you are home, you’re so exhausted that we hardly ever talk.  Last month when you surprised me with a picnic, it was really sweet and I loved it, but I would love it more if I just got a handful of awake hours with you.  I think I’ve talked to my friends more than I’ve talked to you this week. Hell, I think I’ve talked to your sister more than I’ve talked to you.”

Jeonghan shook his head sharply, “I’m busy! I have to finish projects and make sure these artists don’t make fools of themselves—”

“We’re both busy, but only one of us is working all the hours of the day and night.”

“It’s not like you’re any better? You work til midnight sometimes, you finished at 2 am a few months ago!” Jeonghan stood up and Seungcheol raised an eyebrow. “Don’t raise your eyebrow at me!”

“Don’t shout,” Seungcheol looked up at him, “Yes, sometimes I work ridiculous hours too, but they are never for more than a few days at a time, generally because an album is finishing recording. It’s not every day like yours.” 

Jeonghan stared at him, arms wrapped around his waist. “But I, you, we—” He swallowed, “I’m just so busy.”

“You’re running yourself ragged. And you’re losing weight. You’re going to burn out, and then where will you be, huh? I can’t remember the last weekend when you didn’t have to work at some point. Or the last day where you were home before 8 pm,” Seungcheol scooted forward, “I miss you. You go in early and come home late and then work weekends? Jeonghan there’s more to life than work!”

“It’s the company policy, to finish things as soon as we can—”

“But you can’t. Hm? Your contract has times in it. Why can’t you keep to those times?”

“Nobody does—”

“You don’t get paid for more work, love, why are you doing it?” Seungcheol beseeched, but Jeonghan just shrugged and stepped further back. 

“We don’t get paid for it but if we don’t do it I mightn’t get paid?”

Diamond PR wasn’t that ruthless, their ethos valued the health of their employees above a lot of other factors. One of the reasons that Jeonghan had applied for a position there—it was a much healthier work environment. 

“What about Gahyeon-ssi? Does she work as much?”

“No, but—”

“And Minji-ssi?” 

“No, but—”

“What about Yongbae-ssi? Does he work as much as you?”

“Let me speak!” Jeonghan shouted. “No none of them do. But that’s not the point!”

“That’s exactly the point. Why are you doing this to yourself when clearly you don’t have to?” Seungcheol swallowed before asking about what he really feared was the issue, “Do you not want to spend time with me? You’re hardly here anymore, and when you are you’re sleeping. Is it that hard for you to be at home?”

Jeonghan shook his head and burst into tears, holding his hand up to keep Seungcheol away when he stood and backing into the wall, the other hand covering his face.

Oh shit. “Love?” 

Seungcheol moved as if to come closer but Jeonghan shook his head and nearly screamed out a shrill “Don’t touch me!”

“Okay, okay, I’m not going to touch you,” Seungcheol sat back down, raising his hands carefully, “Talk to me?” His chest was sore.

Jeonghan sobbed for a few moments, one hand covering his eyes and the other held out like a barrier. He swallowed the tears back a few times before managing a “Feel like I’m disappointing you.”

“No, no love you’re not,” Seungcheol’s response was immediate, confident and assured and Jeonghan parted his fingers to look at him blankly. “Why do you think you are?”

“I’m not, I don’t earn as much as you, you’ve got your own studio now and I’m still—”

“Jeonghan, no. No. I didn’t realise you felt like that, but it’s nothing to be ashamed of, you have a fantastic job that you love—” Seungcheol shifted closer to Jeonghan, leaning off the couch, “You still love it right?”

Jeonghan nodded sharply.

“Yeah, and you earn lots, you used to earn more than me. It’s only that my studio has gotten a bit more popular now, but that wasn’t ever guaranteed to happen. You know that. And when I was earning less were you disappointed in me?”

“No! Never! But it’s not the same.”

“Why isn’t it the same?”

Jeonghan shrugged, “Just isn’t.”

“It shouldn’t be any different, love.”

Jeonghan shrugged.

For a moment there was just the sound of Jeonghan’s hitched breaths and, to Seungcheol’s ears, his own rapid heartbeat.

“I promise I love you just as much if you earn 60% or 40% of our income. Even if you earn nothing. I love you enough that we would be able to get through that, but I need to see you and spend time with you and talk to you.”

There was silence for a little longer, Seungcheol searching Jeonghan’s eyes for any form of response.

“Jeonghan-ah, I love you. But I need to see you and spend time with you. You need to know I love you. Do you think you could try working less hours?”

Jeonghan shook his head, hands on his shoulders now, hugging himself, “I don’t know, Seungcheol-ah, I don’t know—”

“What about just keeping your weekends free? I can’t remember the last time you didn’t have to work.”

“Maybe?”

“Is it worth a try?”

Jeonghan stared at him for a while before he nodded and Seungcheol stood up slowly, “Can I touch you, love?”

Jeonghan nodded again and Seungcheol put a careful hand on his arm. Jeonghan tumbled into him and clung onto his neck, tears coming back in full force.

“I’m so  _ so _ tired, all the time, and I miss you too—”

Seungcheol just wrapped his arms around him tightly and murmured soothing nothings into his ear until Jeonghan’s tears eased.

“I didn’t realise you felt like that, hm? Talk to me the next time? Hm?”

Jeonghan nodded and clung tighter, “Sorry for being stupid.”

“Not stupid, love.”

“I am happy for you, it’s amazing, I just,” he shrugged, “didn’t realise it would make me feel like this.”

“I didn’t realise it would make you feel like this either. And I know you’re proud of me, hm?”

“I am, I promise I am. I just, I don’t know what to do anymore. I thought you’d hate me—”

Seungcheol let go of him and looked him in the eye, “I don’t hate you. I don’t hate you, love. We can work through it together okay? We’ll sit down and do the accounts and talk about money alright?”

“Yeah, okay. Okay. Not right now though?”

“No, not right now. Over the weekend. When you have no work?”

Jeonghan nodded, trying to keep eye contact with Seungcheol but ducking his head, “I’ll try and sort things out better. I, I will. And I’ll eat better too, I promise, I’m not—I just kept forgetting.”

“I’ll remind you,” Seungcheol tugged him back into a hug, kissing his cheek before pressing their cheeks together and hugging him tighter, “I love you okay?”

Jeonghan exhaled and his eyelids fluttered shut, relaxing, sinking into the embrace, “Yeah. I love you too.” 


	25. A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Napping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7L8ImBJUBbBgWHaDUPd9Aw?si=dW6vl8d5RqCNDlU2K57W_A)

“Honey, I’m home!” Jeonghan called, bringing in the shopping and dropping the bags on the kitchen table. The house was silent. Maybe Seungcheol had brought Meiying out for a walk, they were minding her for the weekend. He busied himself putting the shopping away, dithering between ribs or chicken for dinner before ultimately deciding that ribs would be a nice change and putting the chicken in the freezer. 

He flicked on the radio and put on the kettle, before gathering the bathroom bits and heading upstairs. Hurtling into their bedroom, humming something, he stopped. Heart melting.

Seungcheol was splayed out on his back, arm cradling the baby, both of them sound asleep.

Jeonghan tiptoed into their ensuite to put the toilet paper and shower gel away, before leaning against the door frame and holding back a coo.

Meiying smacked her lips and wriggled, opening her eyes, and Jeonghan stepped carefully over to her and scooped her up, bouncing her gently.

“Hello little one, did you have a nice nap?” he whispered and padded over to the door, closing it quietly behind him. “Would you like some milk? I think we can rustle something up.” Meiying took a deep breath as if she was about to cry and Jeonghan hummed. “Yes, that’s the radio, do you like the music? Do you want me to sing to you? Hm? Your eomma said you like that.” She blinked at him curiously.

Jeonghan closed the kitchen door so the sound wouldn’t carry, and settled Meiying on his front, her nose over his shoulder.

_ “I waited for you, from far away, the cold wind keeps blowing,” _ Jeonghan started quietly, oh he hadn’t sung in so long. “ _ A very small pinwheel standing, blankly standing there, looking for someone, I felt like I was looking at me.” _

Meiying whined and Jeonghan smiled, dropping a tiny kiss to her head, “ _ So many things happen, no time to breathe, this world is too busy for us. If I say that’s why we grew apart, I feel like I’m making excuses. So I keep silent, just facing the wind, silent just facing the wind.” _

Swaying them around the kitchen, Jeonghan sang a little louder, “ _ In the future, so I won’t be sorry, I’ll always be here waiting. If you get lost, and it takes you a while, I’ll be here waiting for you to come back around to me, even if it takes a long time.” _

Meying coughed, and Jeonghan patted her back, “Let’s get you some lunch shall we? We have cow’s milk, powdered milk or, and now this is very exciting, your eomma’s breast milk!” He held her up in front of him, “Well you can’t have cow’s milk, and your eomma ensures me that ‘breast is best’ so I think we’ll give you one of those. What do you think?”

A babble with an upwards lurch was Meying’s only response and Jeonghan nodded seriously. “Milk it is then. Let me just warm it up, alrighty? I’m going to put you down now, don’t cry. I’m not going anywhere, you can still see me, okay?” He lowered her carefully into her carry cot on the kitchen table and rocked it gently. “No crying now!”

She just stared at him, and he walked quickly to the fridge, taking out one of the bottles that Jeonghee had sent over with her and putting it into a pot of water on the hob to warm gently.

Meying scrunched up her face, and screeched, a high pitched questioning sound.

“Soon love, soon.”

After testing the milk temperature on the inside of his wrist, Jeonghan put the bottle on the table and picked Meiying back up, cradling her in the crook of his arm and sitting down. 

“Are you ready for lunch? Hm? Here you go, oh good girl.” Meiying suckled madly, and Jeonghan pulled the bottle away for a second, giving her his knuckle for a second, “slow down love, you’ll make yourself sick.” 

Meiying sucked on his knuckle for a second before throwing her head back and blinking at him with massive eyes.

“Alright, but go slowly, okay?” Jeonghan touched the teat to her cheek and waited for her to turn and search for it.

“Just like that,” she found it and closed her lips around it eagerly, “Take it easy, it’s not going anywhere.”

Meiying’s suckles had slowed down and she was mostly gnawing on the teat, when Seungcheol came through the arch into the living room. “Hey love, hi Meiying-ah.”

Jeonghan looked up, “Hi Honey. Sleep well?”

Dragging a hand over the back of his neck and yawning, Seungcheol nodded, “Yeah, were you singing earlier?”

“Did I wake you?”

“I don’t think so, there was something in my dream?” Seungcheol flicked the kettle on again, “Do you want tea?”

“Please.” Jeonghan nodded and took the bottle away from Meiying, stroking her lip softly.

“It was weird, I was in a field? Or a long empty road? Really still, eerily still, but there was like a piano being played and every now and then someone singing? There wasn’t any air, just open fields and open roads and the piano, playing by itself,” Seungcheol shook his head sharply, “Really disconcerting.”

“That sounds like some sort of nightmare?”

“Maybe, horror film stillness anyway.”

“Can you pass me the muslin from her bag? It’s on the counter by the biscuit tin.” 

Seungcheol draped it over Jeonghan’s shoulder and pulled a face at Meiying, “Did you drink all your lunch? You did? Oh you’re so clever!”

She gurgled a little and Jeonghan smiled, “She is such a clever girl isn’t she?” He hoisted her up against his shoulder and rubbed her back gently. 

Seungcheol brought over their tea just as Meiying coughed up a little bit of milk and Jeonghan wiped her face, “Better out than in, little one, all done now. Do you want to go on your mat while we have tea? Or sit on my lap?” He handed the soiled muslin off to Seungcheol and bounced her lightly on his knee. 

Meiying babbled and reached for his finger and Jeonghan leaned down to rub noses with her, “Stay here? Okay lovely.” He rearranged her so that her back was against his tummy and his hand was firm around her front. Seungcheol smiled at her and she waved her hands.

“I brought her for a walk just after you left, we went as far as that new flower shop, it was closed, but the window art is so pretty. Meiying couldn’t get over the colours.”

“Did you like the colours, lovey?” Jeonghan ducked down to whisper in her ear and she grabbed a strand of his hair in response. “Gently now Meiying-ah, don’t hurt me.” He carefully unclasped her hand from his hair and gave her his little finger instead. 

“You don’t have to work this weekend do you?” Seungcheol asked carefully when Jeonghan managed to take a sip from his tea, settling it back on the table quickly when Meiying reached for it.

He shook his head, “I said I wouldn’t.”

“I know. Just checking.”

Jeonghan met his eyes and nodded, “I am trying, Cheol-ah.”

“I know you are, I know and I really appreciate it. You seem less tired?”

Jeonghan shrugged and played with Meiying’s fingers, “I’m on call next weekend though. I don’t promise anything.”

“That’s different, you know that’s different.” Seungcheol said and Jeonghan nodded, shrugging gracefully.

“Many people in the shops?”

“Absolutely packed, everyone buying holiday gifts and stocking up on food. You’d think the shops were going to be closed. I dropped those few bits into your Eomma, she told me to tell you,” Jeonghan paused and closed his eyes for a second, “that she hasn’t heard from Vernon-ah and she doesn’t want to be annoyingly parental but could you please ring and make sure he’s alright.”

Seungcheol huffed a laugh into his mug. Vernon and Seungkwan had gone on an extended holiday since their graduation, they’d been to Japan and China, and Thailand and Indonesia, and had just arrived in America for a whistle stop tour of all the highlights. They were due home before Christmas, privately, Seungcheol expected they’d come back with rings. Vernon had never been one for ceremony and the lure of Las Vegas may prove too strong for even the indomitable will of Boo Seungkwan. 

“I’ll ring them later, or maybe tomorrow morning, have to get the times right.”

Jeonghan nodded before wincing and reaching to pluck his necklace from Meiying’s grip, “Ah! Meiying-ah!” he chastised, “Don’t pull! I didn’t realise babies were so strong!” He tucked the necklace back inside his blouse. “I think you’d like your mat, hm? And then I can drink my tea without worrying about scalding you, hm?”

When Meiying was on her back on the play mat, kicking and giggling at the dangling toys, perfectly content, Jeonghan leaned into Seungcheol on the couch.

“You’re so good with her,” Seungcheol murmured, stroking his thumb over Jeonghan’s and Jeonghan nodded.

“We’re going to be the best uncles.”

“We already are,” Seungcheol said as Meiying giggled and Jeonghan turned his head to kiss him quickly. Seungcheol laughed when Jeonghan pulled back like lightning, “Meiying doesn’t mind, she’s enraptured with the mirror.”

Jeonghan blushed and leaned back against Seungcheol’s shoulder, “You smell like baby.”

“So do you love, and we’ve only had her for a day.”

Jeonghan wriggled. “Is it weird if it’s kinda hot?”

Seungcheol barked out a laugh and wrapped his arm around Jeonghan, “Probably a little, but when has that ever stopped us?”

“Ababababba!” Meiying babbled and kicked her feet and the two of them turned their eyes back on their charge. Whatever that was could wait for a more appropriate time to be explored. Now they had their niece to mind and love.


	26. Mother Knows Best

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plants

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6sF6sZiIkbedt4851W5qf8?si=xdcBNQ7AT-SaldAuRWFMgQ)
> 
> I won't lie, I thought today was the tickling chapter with a playlist of Trumpets but it isn't and I'm mildly upset.
> 
> Also, there is NO excuse for this playlist, I think I went momentarily insane.

“I think we need another plant,” Jeonghan called down the hall as he glared at their dead hanging basket, “we only have these baskets and that Busy Lizzie that Joshua gave us when we moved in. Did you say there’s a new plant place nearby?”

“Isn’t January a shitty time to buy new plants?”

“Surely there’s something? Our garden looks sad.”

It did. Their front garden was mostly a drive, with a bed along each side, with a dead looking bush and lots of weeds. Their back garden wasn’t much better, but at least it had grass. Pretty decent grass, they cut it and kept it looking mostly decent. And there was a tree at the end. But that was it. They’d spent ages decorating the interior and purchasing furniture that they adored, but here they were nearly two years later, and their gardens were just despicable.

Seungcheol came to the front door, drying his hands on a tea towel, “It’s pretty sad.”

“I think I’ll weed,” Jeonghan put his hands on his hips and stared at the garden, looking into their neighbours’ gardens; pretty, well maintained and manicured gardens, with a frown, “We’re really letting the side down.” 

Seungcheol held back a laugh, Jeonghan had a black thumb. But weeding couldn’t really kill anything and since their entire garden was pretty much dead anyway, “Why not? I think we have gardening gloves somewhere, and your parents gave us a fork and trowel for Christmas, didn’t they?”

“The biggest hint ever. When  _ my _ parents start bringing up the fact that our garden is a disgrace you know it’s really bad.” 

Seungcheol stood back to let Jeonghan pass and laughed, “I’m sure Eomma can help. She’s bound to know what we can do. Will I ask her? I was going to invite her for tea today anyway?”

There was a clatter and a clash and then Jeonghan stepped out of the closet under the stairs brandishing a trowel and gardening fork and a pair of gloves. “Yes. I was going to try that dalgona recipe that your sister sent over. Do you want to try it while I kill things?”

“Oh I haven’t had dalgona in ages. Sure, I’ll try it. But a hat on or something, you’ll freeze—”

“I’m putting a coat on sheesh,” Jeonghan put everything on the stairs and started pulling on his winter fleece.

“Ok, try not to injure yourself.” Seungcheol kissed his cheek as he passed by and Jeonghan beamed into the rack of scarfs. You’d think eight years of a relationship would stop him from getting sappy every time Seungcheol did something cute and domestic, but no. 

It was only when he was closing the door behind him that he registered the insult, “Ya! Choi Seungcheol-ah!” Seungcheol’s laughs floating down the hallway made him shake his head, smiling, as he pulled the door and turned to stare at the weeds.

Right. Unto the breach and all that.

“Jeonghannie!! What are you doing out in the garden you’ll catch your death!” Seungcheol’s eomma leaned over their garden wall and Jeonghan looked up.

“Eomma! Hi! Mm, I decided to weed.”

Kyunghwa tutted at him, “So you pulled up a rose bush?”

Jeonghan stared at the big pile of dead things beside him, “No? No! We’ve never had a rose bush? Had we?”

Kyunghwa laughed, “No you haven’t don’t worry, you’ve done a good job. I was wondering when you two were going to address the mess that is the exterior of your little mansion.”

“It’s not a mansion, Eomma—”

“Let an old lady have her jokes, Jeonghannie. Now. My Cheollie told me that he was trying dalgona. Let’s go in and have some shall we?”

Ignoring Jeonghan’s ‘you’re not old!’, Kyunghwa ushered him up the steps to his own house, rapping sharply on the door.

“Eomma!” Seungcheol wrapped her up in a massive hug, “Ah it’s good to see you back on your feet.”

“I have years to go before a winter cold gets the better of me. However, your dear fiancé here is skin and bones, and weeding? In January?”

“I’m well wrapped up—”

“Ah Eomma, you know I can’t tell him what to do, now. Would you like tea?” Seungcheol took her coat and started telling her how he’d made the dalgona. Jeonghan shook his head and took his own winter things off. He’d get rid of the weeds later.

“Oh these are really good!” Kyunghwa smiled around her mouthful and Jeonghan nodded.

“Delicious.”

“Great. Eomma?”

Kyunghwa looked at Seungcheol with a raised brow, “What do you want?”

Seungcheol put his hands up and shook his head, “No no no! I, we really, wanted to ask your advice on the garden.”

“It’s about time. This garden could be amazing and it’s just sad. You aren’t gardeners, so I think a few bushes or perennials in the front would be adventurous enough. The back however. So much potential! If you spend this month clearing everything out, getting rid of anything you don’t want we can do some shopping in February or March okay? And we can draw up a plan.” Kyunghwa said and took a sip of tea. 

Seungcheol shook his head with a smile, “Eomma, how long were you going to give us before you started telling us what to do with it?”

“A month after your wedding. And then I was taking over. I’m proud! You didn’t take as long as I expected!”

At the mention of their wedding, Jeonghan looked into his teacup with a sigh, and Seungcheol patted his hand.

“Did I say something?”

“Wedding planning is stressful, that’s all. Especially ours.”

“We’ve secured a venue. And an ‘official’. We picked this area for a reason. Anyway. We both have appointments with a tailor next weekend. We’re not going to do a traditional wedding, but we do want traditional clothes.” Jeonghan broke the news gently but Kyunghwa just nodded.

“Why would you want something traditional when the traditions disagree with who you are? Loves, you’re welcome to do whatever you want, even if you want to elope. We’ll all get over it.”

“Eomma!” Seungcheol blushed a dark red and she raised an eyebrow.

“Trust me, I know how hard this is. But if you need anything, you know you can ask me for help,” Kyunghwa reached over the table to take both of their hands. “As far as I’m concerned you’re already part of the family, Jeonghan-ah. You don’t have to impress me with this ceremony, just do what makes you both happy.”

A tear slipped down Jeonghan’s face and he swiped it away quickly with a watery smile. “Thanks, Eomma.”

“Now. Enough of this. Where’s your computer? Let’s look up things for your garden!”


	27. Trumpets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tickling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Steamy! Avert your eyes if this isn't your style!!
> 
> [...do I really need four songs can I not just do Trumpets on repeat?? The Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5XDEOqz9IzlLRL7nSkRPyW?si=VJOCdHy7QiGbglhcc4OviQ)

Seungcheol was innocently watching TV in the living room, snuggled down under a blanket. He had hot chocolate cooling on the side table, the curtains were drawn and the latest episode of his current favourite drama just about to start, when Jeonghan clattered down the stairs, out of his office with a high pitched shriek. 

“I am Done for the night, praise the Lord!”

“Get everything finished?” 

Jeonghan skidded to a halt in front of him, “Yeah, I’ve never been so happy to close a laptop,” he rounded the end of the couch, “that stupid email correspondance! As if I really care who DK kissed,” Jeonghan dropped on top of Seungcheol, “he’s a grown man he can kiss who he wants—”

Seungcheol wheezed.

“Honey?” Jeonghan stilled from where he’d been settling himself, like a cat, on top of his fiancé.

“You’re,” Seungcheol’s eyes were screwed tightly shut and a bead of sweat rolled down his forehead, “crushing—”

Jeonghan wiggled as if to see what he was crushing and then froze as Seungcheol hissed. “Oh, oh,  _ oh _ ,” Jeonghan stifled a giggle, “Sorry sorry sorry—”

“Stop apologising and move you idiot.”

Jeonghan managed to squeeze himself between Seungcheol and the back of the couch and Seungcheol heaved a sigh of relief. 

“You’re a menace.”

“I’m sorry!!” Jeonghan managed about five seconds before the giggles escaped him and Seungcheol bid goodbye to his relaxed evening with the TV, pulled the blanket out from underneath Jeonghan and threw it off the couch and turned to stare at Jeonghan.

Jeonghan met his gaze, eyes widening slowly and Seungcheol just grinned.

“No, no, no no no no no—”

“Yes yes yes yes yes—” Seungcheol cackled and darted finger’s down to Jeonghan’s neck, causing the other to emit shrieks of laughter and wriggle away from him. His arms flew up to protect his neck and Seungcheol changed tactics, taking advantage of the opening to attack his sides, up and down and up and down until Jeonghan kicked up, knees coming to his chest.

Seungcheol was laughing madly now, Jeonghan was unbelievably ticklish, he just swapped targets, tickling Jeonghan’s shins to louder giggles and higher pitched shrieks.

Normally they had a pact. Because, well it wasn’t always appropriate.

Seungcheol pulled back for a second, giving Jeonghan a chance to breathe, and he relaxed, legs back down and forearm over his eyes. 

“You’re,” Jeonghan panted, “evil.”

“Umhm~” Seungcheol agreed, dancing his fingers across Jeonghan’s stomach, his shirt had ridden up and Jeonghan shrieked, arching up and swatting at Seungcheol blindly.

“Cheol-ah!”

“What?” Seungcheol half hummed, smirking down at the wriggly creature that his fiancé had become, and darting for the base of Jeonghan’s neck.

Jeonghan just shrieked, “It tickles!!”

“I know love,” Seungcheol chucked, tickling down Jeonghan’s sides, “that’s kind of the point.”

Jeonghan shrieked and wiggled further into the couch, but Seungcheol just moved with him, floating his fingers in circles over Jeonghan’s hips and waist and up near his armpits.

Jeonghan was panting and writhing and Seungcheol was reminded  _ again _ why they had a no tickling pact. 

Seungcheol couldn’t help the smile on his face and he risked bending down to kiss Jeonghan’s nose, missing and getting his forehead. “You only have to say mercy, love.”

He stroked over a particularly sensitive spot and bright bubbly giggles erupted from Jeonghan as he curled a little away from Seungcheol, shaking his head and trying to cover his ticklish spots but Seungcheol just kept changing targets.

Jeonghan was twisted in such a way that his belly button was unprotected, again, and Seungcheol cackled to himself and bent to blow a raspberry on his skin.

Bad move.

Jeonghan caught him there with all four limbs even as he was shrieking and trying to wriggle away. Seungcheol just blew a second and then a third, before Jeonghan screamed “Mercy!!!” and let go.

Seungcheol laughed his way up to Jeonghan’s face and kissed him, laughing into his mouth as Jeonghan giggled into his, still twitching and squirming, post tickling aftershocks.

“You’re evil.”

Seungcheol hummed, anchoring his knee on the other side of Jeonghan’s hips and dropping onto his elbows, pulling back to rub noses with him.

“Cheol-ah?”

“Yes, love?”

Jeonghan’s eyes were blown wide and his lips were bitten red. He reached up to tangle his fingers in the short strands at the base of Seungcheol’s neck and bit his lip, tilting his head back slightly.

Seungcheol kissed him again.

“We have visitors on this couch.” Jeonghan managed when Seungcheol pulled back and Seungcheol hummed.

“Bedroom then?”

Jeonghan just kissed him in response and Seungcheol maneuvered them up and off the couch, flicking off the lights and TV and pushing Jeonghan up the stairs ahead of him.

Jeonghan threw his top off and fiddled with the button and catch on his capris while Seungcheol stepped out of his jeans, his shirt somehow already undone.

When he slipped them off, Jeonghan had shimmied onto the bed, and was leaning back against the plump pillows. Seungcheol’s eyes dragged up from his demurely crossed ankles, landing on the slinky bottoms of a fancy lingerie set with an audible swallow. 

“These look amazing,” Seungcheol said as he kneeled onto the bed and walked his fingers up Jeonghan’s legs. “What’s the occasion?”

“It’s been ages~” Jeonghan started, only to be cut off as Seungcheol trailed his fingers around the edge of the knickers? Pants? Briefs? What are they? It didn’t matter. Pretty underwear.

“Oh you’re soaked baby.” Seungcheol breathed, and leaned to kiss him again as Jeonghan flushed completely red. Seungcheol had been experimenting with different endearments and compliments and bedroom talk, ever since Jeonghan had expressed that he wanted to be pretty as well as handsome, less Jeonghan the man, and more Jeonghan. This was his latest attempt.

He pulled back to press his nose against Jeonghan’s cheek. “Do you like that, baby? Hm? All wet for me?”

Jeonghan bit his lip again and nodded, rolling them sideways and kissing Seungcheol again. Seungcheol tangled his hand in Jeonghan’s hair, it brushed his chin, tugging a little and Jeonghan moaned.

“Only for you.”

Things went fast after  _ that. _

Later, clean and in pyjama bottoms, Jeonghan wrapped himself around Seungcheol tightly. “I am sorry for kneeing you in the balls.”

Seungcheol kissed his fingers, “Thanks.”

“I liked it, earlier when you said that thing—” Jeonghan pressed his blush to Seungcheol’s hair.

Seungcheol cracked a smile, “What thing?” 

“You know, when you called me baby?” 

“Is ‘baby’ okay? I forgot to ask before.”

“Yeah, I like it, it’s soft. Not always, but I like when you use it in bed, and when I’m tired, or—”

“Feeling pretty?”

“Yeah.”

“And saying that you were wet, and soaked, that was all okay?” Seungcheol let Jeonghan away with it and Jeonghan nodded.

“Yeah. It was… different, but I liked it.”

“That’s good baby,” Seungcheol yawned, pressing back into Jeonghan, “I’m going to fall asleep now.”

Jeonghan hummed and tugged the duvet higher, “Sleep well, honey.”

“Love you.”


	28. Inside Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Exhaustion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1lvq6Se8c29I7TIfBQhiV2?si=eNgzvf4PQNqVBETt-nhRnA)

Seungcheol closed the front door behind him and sagged against it. It had been a day. Work, of course, one of Woozi’s protégées had come in for her first recording. She’d been really good, but had needed the sort of hand-holding that took time and effort and patience. A whole lot of patience. And then he had to go to the florists about their wedding flowers, which had sort of been relaxing up until the prices, which had been expected but just big. Really big. And then just when he was ready to go and sleep, he’d remembered his final hanbok appointment. 

Maybe he’d just stay here against the door for a while. It was a pretty comfortable door all things considered. A nice smooth surface, all the ridges were on the other side, and it didn’t have glass or anything, just a nice wooden door. And it was cool. Blessedly cool. He’d just close his eyes for a few seconds...

The door jolted behind him and opened and he flew forwards.

“Oh! Sorry! I didn’t realise you were behind the door! Seungcheol-ah?” Jeonghan knelt and put his hands on his shoulders, “Are you okay? Were you asleep?”

Seungcheol yawned, “Long day. Sorry.”

“You’re the one on the floor, come on, up you get, at least move to the couch, hm?” Jeonghan tugged him up, hands under his elbows and Seungcheol leaned his forehead against Jeonghan’s.

“Ready to be wed.”

“Soon.”

“How did your hanbok thing go?” Seungcheol yawned again, eyes falling shut and Jeonghan hummed.

“Pretty good, I’m done now. What about yours?”

“Tiring. I couldn’t get the fabric in the right places, but it fits so hopefully I won’t have to go back.”

They stood there for a long time, breaths mingling in the space between them, drawing strength from each other, both of them falling a little bit asleep. 

Jeonghan squeezed Seungcheol’s hands and pulled away, “Go on, go lie down.” He put his bag down and took off his jacket, hanging it up on the hook and slipping off his shoes.

“Let’s order in?” Seungcheol yawned and Jeonghan nodded. He’d had a long day too. He’d had his hanbok appointment at 7 am, and then back to back meetings until 5, after which he’d rushed to a cake appointment. The last thing he wanted to do was cook.

They ordered chicken and chips, their go-to college food, and ate it on the couch in a silence mostly broken by yawns and their clock ticking loudly.

Jeonghan flicked through the channels, landing on some sort of house restoration program. He swung his legs up, flopped onto Seungcheol’s shoulder and tugged a blanket up to his chin. Seungcheol grumbled, he preferred the house hunting ones, but Jeonghan draped a bit of the blanket over him and he shushed.

Neither of them were really taking in the TV, just staring at it blankly, too tired to take it in but too awake to sleep. Besides, it was only 8 pm or something, although bed sounded pretty great.

“Do you want some hot chocolate?” Seungcheol asked when the episode went onto a break.

Jeonghan nodded against his shoulder but didn’t move his arm from where it was draped across Seungcheol’s stomach.

“You have to let go of me to get hot chocolate,” Seungcheol said, smiling and bringing Jeonghan’s arm up to kiss his fingers. “Back in a minute. Hold it for me, would you?”

Grumbling, Jeonghan nodded and propped himself up with all of their cushions, closing his eyes for a second.

“You know what?” Jeonghan started when Seungcheol came back, handing him his angel mug and sipping from his own. 

He quite liked that mug. It was a viking drinking horn that Jeonghan had found while on a work trip to Oslo last year. It was supposed to be used for beer, but it was just the perfect size for hot chocolate and coffee, and ostentatiously ornate. So, quite rightly, he used it as often as he possibly could.

“Seungcheol-ah? You know what?” Jeonghan repeated and Seungcheol looked away from the mug. 

“What, love?”

“I can’t believe we’re paying off a mortgage, working in stable jobs and getting married in a month. And we’re not even 30. We practically have a white picket fence. Did you ever think we’d be here?”

“I hoped.”

Jeonghan looked at Seungcheol softly, “You always were the romantic out of the two of us.”

Seungcheol said nothing, merely let his gaze spin around the room, landing on Jeonghan’s chick lit book collection, their shared press full of rom-coms, the artwork on the walls, the Busy Lizzie on the windowsill and then land heavily on Jeonghan, spinning his ring around his finger the entire time.

Jeonghan hummed and leaned back against him, pressing play on the episode. They were both as bad as each other.

It was a wonder the hot chocolate actually got drunk and didn’t spill all over the two of them, but by the time the episode ended with it’s obnoxiously loud credits, they had both fallen asleep, and they startled awake, somehow managing to keep the remaining liquid in it’s appropriate mugs.

“Bed?”

“Bed.”

They leaned against each other as they brushed their teeth, jogging each other’s elbows when the other started to drop off, and didn’t even remember to turn off the lights before they fell into bed and dropped off to sleep in a handful of seconds.

Wedding planning was exhausting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A Wedding! There's Going To Be A Wedding!! (On Wednesday if you're reading this in real time)


	29. Arioso

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I love you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38SgKkQxm72AXtPnZK6VTa?si=MFMRa95mSYKsfUZyiYqw-w)

He could hear the faint strains of Bach’s Arioso coming through the double oak doors in front of him. That was his cue. He took a deep breath, checked the red tulip in the front fold of his creamy golden hanbok, and nodded at the assistant.

She gave him a smile and a quiet, “good luck!” and opened the doors. He stepped through, aware of all of his invitees sitting to his right, but his eyes were on his fiancé entering through the doors directly opposite him. He barely held back a gasp, he looked amazing. Neither of them had seen each other’s wedding outfits, and he just looked a million dollars.

He had a silvery grey hanbok on and he just looked like a prince. He had his own red tulip pinned to the front of his outfit and if he squinted, he could see him shaking. 

This was it.

They met in the middle with bright smiles and the piano faded out. 

They turned to the minister and she smiled at them, asking quietly, “Are we ready?”

They nodded, smiles breaking across their faces as they entwined their hands tightly, shaking but they’d never been more ready.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the joining in marriage of Yoon Jeonghan and Choi Seungcheol. Due to the laws of this land, today’s ceremony will not be legally binding, but we will know the truth. What has come together in love may not be torn apart.”

Seungcheol squeezed Jeonghan’s hand tightly.

“These two men got engaged exactly a year and a day ago, and today they will be handfasted here in front of those whom they love and who love them. May it last past the year and a day and into eternity. Can Choi Vernon and Wu Jeonghee please bring up the ribbons?”

Their siblings stepped up from the congregation with their boxes and handed them to the officiant. Seungcheol’s ribbon was actually the trim from his mother’s wedding hanbok while Jeonghan’s had been his grandmother’s ‘special occasion’ hair ribbon. The third ribbon was a plain white one, specially purchased and bleached in the sun.

“These ribbons,” the celebrant declared, “will bind them together. It’s an ancient tradition that used to be practiced by the Celtic peoples. Stay together for a year and a day and you’ve proven to each other and to your community that your love is solid enough and your will is strong enough to stay together forever. Split within the year, and there’s no shame in it. Marriage is not for everybody. If you’ve ever heard the phrase ‘to tie the knot’, it comes from handfasting, and that’s what we’re going to do. If you would join hands please.” She motioned to the two of them and they grinned.

Jeonghan clasped Seungcheol’s hand tightly and they stood side by side, turning to catch each other’s eyes every few seconds. The room was silent, you could hear a pin drop. Seungcheol’s eomma had already started crying, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief since they’d walked through the doors.

The celebrant picked up the Yoon Ribbon and raised it high, before looping it over their wrists.

“Choi Seungcheol. Do you enter into this marriage of your own free will?”

“I do.”

“Do you promise to love and cherish Yoon Jeonghan to the best of your ability for as long as you both may live?”

“I do.”

“Do you promise to make him laugh, dry his tears, kiss him good morning and hug him goodnight?”

Seungcheol smiled, “I do.”

Jeonghee pulled the ribbon tight.

The celebrant picked up the Choi Ribbon and looped it over the other on top of their wrists.

“Yoon Jeonghan. Do you enter into this marriage of your own free will?”

“I do.”

“Do you promise to love and cherish Choi Seungcheol to the best of your ability for as long as you both may live?”

“I do.”

“Do you promise to make him laugh, dry his tears, kiss him awake when he sleeps through his alarm and always hug him tight?”

Jeonghan smiled, they’d written them together, “I do.”

Vernon pulled it tight.

The celebrant picked up the third ribbon, the ribbon they’d bought together, sun bleached together and that would symbolise their unity as a couple. She draped it over the others.

“And do you both promise to be true?”

“We do.”

“To be kind?”

“We do.”

“Will you try and find compromises?”

“We will.”

“To take care of each other when it’s hard and celebrate when it’s easy? To love each other with the strength of the sun and to never give up?”

“We do.”

She pulled the third ribbon tight.

“Then your siblings will tie the ribbons,” she motioned to them and they tied several knots under and over and under and over until there was no ribbon left, and they stepped back.

“Now can Hong Joshua and Lee Jihoon please bring up the rings?”

Their best friends stepped up with their tiny boxes, the two identical plain gold bands gleaming on their cushions.

Jeonghan plucked his out of Joshua’s box, and slipped it on to Seungcheol’s ring finger, slotting it above his engagement ring. “Forever mine, forever thine, forever ours.” His voice rang out through the hall, even as his hand shook.

Seungcheol started to cry, and with his own shaky hand picked up the ring from Jihoon’s box and tried to put it on Jeonghan’s finger, missing twice before meeting Jeonghan’s eyes, also shining with tears. He mouthed ‘you can do it’ and Seungcheol took a deep breath and tried again, slipping it on with ease. He repeated the same words in a whisper, “Forever mine, forever thine, forever ours.”

“And I pronounce you married. You are now one. Congratulations!”

They turned to their guests, bright smiles on their faces, tears rolling down both their cheeks and didn’t quite know what to do until the celebrant leaned her head between them to whisper loudly, “you can kiss now!” The front row of their guests tittered with laughter and the couple blushed a bright red.

They turned and kissed gently, mindful of the eyes on them. Jeonghan’s eyes fluttered closed and he gripped Seungcheol’s hands, they were  _ married! _ Someone catcalled and they broke apart, their tied hands tightly clasped as they stepped forwards and down through the aisle to the exit.

Forwards to their future.

  
  


They’d entered the room as two people, and they’d leave it as one.

  
  


They were finally married.


	30. Tulips from Amsterdam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waking Up Together – Reprise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my dears, this is it, the final chapter. Thanks to anyone who enjoyed this ride, and special shout outs to those who come into my dms/the comment box to tell me what they like. You know who you are, my kingdom and my love to yous xx.
> 
> [The final Chapter Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6dyCfpahuHk0Md15tGrXgh?si=kt43xkvKRJmEtjpE7AC8ug)

Sunlight streamed through the gap in the curtains; falling on the double bed in the centre of the room and gently rousing the sleeping couple, before dripping over the edges onto the soft creamy sheepskin rug and oozing onto the varnished wood floor.

Seungcheol dragged a hand over his face and rolled to the side of the bed to check the time. Was it a Saturday? A Friday? Was he in work?

_ Saturday May 29th 10.15 _

Perfect. He rolled back over and buried his head into the pillows, sleep was good.

Jeonghan rubbed his eyes with his fists and whacked his face with a ring. A ring?

His eyes snapped open. They were married. It was so nice to say, married, really filled the mouth, married. Married. He had a husband. Mmmm, married.

Beaming, he turned over to Seungcheol, “Cheol-ah?” he whispered loudly, “Cheol-ah, are you awake?”

“Hm?” Seungcheol patted him and Jeonghan draped himself on top of him

“We’re married!”

“That’s nice, love.”

Jeonghan wiggled and kissed Seungcheol’s earlobe. “We’re married!!”

Seungcheol cracked his eye open and patted Jeonghan's hand, spinning his ring around, “I know love. Let me have another ten minutes and we can pick up from where we left off,” he closed his eyes again and Jeonghan frowned. 

He yawned and the sunlight tickled his back. Maybe tea. 

Slipping from the bed, their  _ marital _ bed, Jeonghan pulled on his  _ new _ dressing gown, it had a Mr. embroidered on the back in purple thread and he  _ loved  _ it. He stepped into his matching slippers, it had been a gifted set, Seokmin was hilarious, but they were so comfortable it was unreal.

Jeonghan padded down the stairs and into the kitchen, flicking on the kettle and going into the living room to open the curtains. 

Their Busy Lizzie was now joined by two others, a white one and a blue one. They’d asked their wedding guests to gift them plants instead of a wedding registry. They had everything they needed except, as Eomma Choi had pointed out, garden things.

Some people had given them cuttings, and they were the most precious. Seungcheol’s parents had given them a cutting of their massive hydrangea for their front garden and a slip of their peony rose for the back. Jeonghan couldn’t wait to see that flourish, it would really fill the corner they’d planted it in and make the garden more cosy and alive.

Seungcheol slipped his hand around Jeonghan’s waist and Jeonghan startled violently.

“It’s just me. Wondered where you went,” Seungcheol hushed, resting his head on Jeonghan’s shoulder, “penny for your thoughts?”

“Wedding gifts.”

“It was a good idea. We have so many plants now, it’s unreal.”

It was. They had plants in every room now. Jeonghee had given them a herb basket for the kitchen; Vernon had given them about 10 succulents that now lived in the bathroom, a snake plant from Seungkwan for the bedroom, an aloe for the office from Gahyeon, and Jihoon—and his  _ girlfriend _ Ailee— had given him a money plant that Jeonghan kept tripping over every time he walked down the hall. Their house was so green now. And their gardens?

Waiting to just break into flower and explode with scents.

“I still can’t believe we’re married.”

“It’s been ten days, love,” Seungcheol smiled into his collar, “you’re like this every morning.”

“But it’s amazing, I have a husband, we have rings,  _ rings Seungcheol-ah _ -”

Seungcheol kissed him. Slowly, sleepy, thoroughly. He pulled back and pecked him once, twice, thrice, before leaning his forehead against Jeonghan’s. “So husband, tea?”

Jeonghan’s eyes were closed, he just kissed Seungcheol in response, winding his arms around his neck, planting dozens of chaste kisses on his lips with the murmur of ‘husband, husband, husband’ between each one.

Laughing, Seungcheol settled his hands on the small of Jeonghan’s back and rubbed tiny circles. They were married. The tea could wait a little while. 

Eventually, lips swollen and hair mussed beyond what bedhead would excuse, they adjourned to the kitchen and sat down with their usual mugs full of their morning beverage of choice.

“Excited for tomorrow?” Jeonghan asked, cradling the mug between his hands. Their feet tangled together under the table. You’d think that living together would have eradicated the need for a honeymoon period, but no.

Seungcheol smiled around his mouthful and swallowing, said “We’re bringing tulips home.”

“Of course. We designated an entire bed for them, remember? Oh, I meant to show you—” Jeonghan pushed his chair back and traipsed up the stairs, coming back down a moment later with a large fabric bound book. Jeonghan hugged it tight for a second before setting it on the table and cracking it open.

It fell open somewhere in the middle, revealing a dried yellow flower sewn to the page. Seungcheol looked up at Jeonghan, “Is that a tulip?”

He nodded and twisted his head to see what he’d written, “2016. You were visiting friends in Jeju and went past a pretty florists.”

“Do you have every single flower I’ve given you in here?” Seungcheol asked, flicking through the pages. His eyes were wide and darting between the flowers and Jeonghan’s face as he read several of the inscriptions.

“Yeah.”

“How many are there?”

“I don’t know, the flower from our wedding took up the last page. I thought it was poetic. It was so sweet, that you brought me a flower for our first date, I just had to keep it. Who would have thought that 8 years later I’d have a book full of them?”

“This is amazing, oh my God, Jeonghan-ah I can’t believe—” Seungcheol schooched around the table to tug Jeonghan into a kiss. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

Jeonghan blushed and picked up his mug, “You picked them all—”

“Yeah but this is so special, I didn’t know you pressed them! How did I never know?”

“It seemed a bit silly at the start, a little whimsical, but then I found this in a market and then it was impossible to stop. It’s more special to me than photos,” Jeonghan reached for Seungcheol’s hand, “I love that you always buy the same type of flower, and just change it for what you want to say. Purple when I graduated because you were so proud and that made me basically royalty; white ones after we argued; pink before I started in Diamond, yellow whenever you feel like it. I love you.”

Seungcheol tugged at Jeonghan until he was in his lap, “You—” he kissed his nose, “—are the most—” kissed his cheeks, “—precious person in the world—” he kissed his lips, “—and I’m so in love with you.”

Jeonghan glowed, leaned back against him and watched as Seungcheol flicked through the pages, muttering things and pointing out flowers that he wanted to get bulbs off, all the while, hand caught in Jeonghan’s, constant kisses and touches and just an abundance of love.

Their honeymoon started on Sunday but who knew when it would end, if ever. 

**Author's Note:**

> I’m over on Twitter [@RoseEnDiamant](https://twitter.com/RoseEnDiamant) and CuriousCat as[ Murder Rose](https://curiouscat.qa/MurderRose), let me know what you thought.


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